The Issues
”Australia – not a great country for everyone, everywhere, all the time.”
We don’t like to think of our country in those terms – but the sad thing is, today it is reality. And we need your help turn this around. Just consider these facts:
- 1 in 5 children from low socio-economic backgrounds start their first day of school unprepared with the basics to succeed.
- More than a third of all school-leavers aged 15-19 are unemployed or not in further education.
- 1 in 4 young people have a mental health disorder and suicide is the leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 24 in Australia.
- Every night 22,000 young people in Australia are homeless.
- Indigenous Australians have a life expectancy 17 years lower than non-Indigenous Australians.
For some, even the most basic needs in life – education, income, health, a good place to live, a sense of belonging, safety – are well out of reach.
We commissioned a research report with the Centre for Social Impact, called the Common Cause Report. It identified the areas of key social need – Education, Health and Income – across the most disadvantaged geographical areas. United Way Australia is keenly aware of these issues and we know that by tackling any one, we’ll ultimately address the others because they are interlinked. It’s why we have developed a Community Impact strategy – our strategy for answering social need.
All of our strategies are supported by rigorous Logical Framework and we are committed to and hold ourselves accountable for the outcomes achieved.