Common Cause Report - Social Disadvantage Across Sydney
23 July 2009 at 1:10 pm
A new report has identified deepening disadvantage across Sydney resulting in calls to action from many corporate and community leaders.
Some 100 leaders from the Sydney community gathered for the launch of the Common Cause report.
The report is the product of a collaborative effort to build the Common Good in Sydney, represented by all sectors of Sydney society, including government, business and the general community.
The report, undertaken by the Centre for Social Impact, is a cross-sector initiative led by United Way Sydney in partnership with a broad range of organisations that are focused on addressing social disadvantage, including the NSW Community Relations Commission, and Perpetual Limited.
Deepening disadvantage across Sydney spurred the report and an accompanying website identifying the key social and economic issues facing the Sydney community.
Doug Taylor, CEO of United Way Sydney says clearly, the nature of disadvantage has changed and it’s critical that all groups work together to create initiatives that have a measurable impact on these issues.
Taylor says the underlying message in this report is that despite the best endeavors of government and community organisations we have not seen an improvement in social indicators.
He says the report is a critical first step in the process of understanding the kind of city Sydney is becoming.
Hugh Mackay, Social Researcher and Author who helped compile the report says the problems of poverty (especially post-housing poverty), social exclusion and inequality demand some urgent and creative solutions.
Peter Shergold from the Centre for Social Impact issued a call to action to the Sydney community.
He says the report identifies a disturbing fact, that only 16% of Sydneysiders are involved with volunteering and that is half the national average.
He says clearly part of the problem in this city is the effective engagement of the broader community in tackling these issues.
United Way Sydney will now engage in widespread community consultation to determine what Sydneysiders think is the best way to tackle these complex issues. This consultation process will involve focus groups, deliberative forums, online interactive surveys and social media to generate a conversation about the issues.
The Common Cause report can be downloaded at www.commoncause.com.au
