JUNE 2024

June has been Life Chances month at BSL. We are very proud to have led a 34-year project that has brought so many valuable insights into the effect of inequality on different life journeys. Although the study has run its course, we will continue to build on this work. 

In this issue you can register to hear Prof. Sabina Alikire talk about the importance of measuring poverty; watch our BSL Talks event for the launch of our final Life Chances report; read the final Life Chances report and related media; learn about our Youth Opportunities Compass; and read our submissions to the Apprenticeship Incentive Scheme and the NDIS Amendment Bill. 

You can read more about our current work at www.bsl.org.au/research and also browse our policy submissions. 

Please share this social policy and research update with your colleagues and encourage them to subscribe.

BSL TALKS: WHY MEASURING POVERTY MATTERS
Wednesday 21 August 2024, 3 pm to 4 pm
University of Melbourne (Parkville Campus) and online

We are delighted to invite you to attend a special edition of BSL Talks.

Internationally renowned expert in poverty measurement, Oxford University Professor of Poverty and Human Development, Prof. Sabina Alkire, will present a summary of her work on the multi-dimensional poverty index and discuss its potential application in Australia.

Professor Alkire will talk in conversation with Travers McLeod, Executive Director of BSL, and join an esteemed panel of Australian experts: Prof. Roger Wilkins, Deputy Director, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research; Jenny Davidson, CEO, Council for Single Mothers and their Children; Dr Nicole Bieske, Director, Social Policy and Research Centre, BSL.

RECORDING: INEQUALITY IN AUSTRALIA

BSL’s Life Chances Study began in inner Melbourne in 1990 with 167 babies and their parents. At the start of June, it ended with an event to launch our final report. Over 34 years and 14 stages Life Chances focused on different aspects of inequality, examining diverse aspects of the life course. It has contributed important insights into the dynamic interrelationship between individual lives and social and economic policy on the life chances of the participants.

The report was launched by social researcher and author Dr Rebecca Huntley, who also took part in the panel discussion, considering implications of the study for policy and practice today. Executive Director Travers McLeod said the event felt like “a reunion as study participants met with researchers from across the generations” and that it was “particularly moving hearing from Isabel and Vinh, two participants who shared their stories with the crowd”.

Watch/listen to the speakers and discussion: Inequality in Australia

MEDIA: INEQUALITY IN AUSTRALIA 

There has been a lot of media interest in the 34-year longitudinal Life Chances study as it came to an end. The report gives an overview of the findings from stages 1 to 13 alongside reflections from participants and parents on the experience of participating in the study.

Some key mentions include: The Project, the Guardian, ABC news, ABC news radio, ABC news tv and the Guardian Full Story podcast.

Read the full report by Ursula Harrison and Dina Bowman, Inequality in Australia: insights from the Life Chances Study 1990–2024 (PDF, 703 KB)

UPDATE: YOUTH OPPORTUNITY COMPASS 

The Youth Opportunity Compass is an online dashboard combining publicly available data and local knowledge on youth unemployment co-designed by BSL with stakeholders in the National Youth Employment Body. The aim of the Compass is to make it easier for users to access and use data to drive responses to youth unemployment in their local area. It does this by: sourcing local data on youth employment; bringing data together from multiple websites; and addressing barriers to data access such as registration or data literacy.

“I’m not a really techy person ... I thought omg I hope it’s not too hard to use, but everything is explained and colour coded as well which made it really easy to use.”  – Adelaide stakeholder 

After initial prototypes of the Compass were developed for Warrnambool and Logan, the Macquarie Group Foundation funded the development of a Compass for Adelaide, Darwin, the Gold Coast and Eurobodalla. 

“[It's] simple enough for me. Didn’t have to be a data geek to follow along.” – Darwin stakeholder

For more information reach out to Kira kira.clarke@bsl.org.au or Madeleine madeleine.morey@bsl.org.au

View the Eurobodalla Youth Opportunity Compass: Eurobodalla Compass Prototype - NYEB (bsl.org.au)

POLICY: APPRENTICESHIP INCENTIVE SCHEME 

BSL welcomes the Strategic Review of the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System, in particular the focus on the role of incentives and other supports in enabling take-up and completion of apprenticeships.

We wrote in support of Recommendations 1, 2, 3 and 4. Notably we advocated for additional tracking and support for the apprenticeship journey, stronger pre-apprenticeship options, employer capability development and expanded collaborative approaches to supporting apprenticeships.

We drew on BSL’s long-term practical experience across our programs, service development and innovation initiatives, along with insights from our research and policy analysis, and our partners working in employment and education interventions in communities across Australia.

Read our submission: Response to terms of reference of the Strategic review of the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System (PDF, 365 KB)

POLICY: FEEDBACK ON THE NDIS AMENDMENT BILL

In our submission to the NDIS Amendment Bill, BSL voiced our concern that the federal government has not yet released a formal response and implementation plan to the NDIS Review and that changes made in a piecemeal manner may negatively affect the scheme and participants.

BSL recommends that government:

• releases a comprehensive and detailed formal response to the NDIS review and the DRC as soon as possible
• consults BSL and other relevant agencies as NDIS budget initiatives are advanced and implemented
• engages in deep consultation with the disability community to address concerns and identify areas where further detail and clarification is required.

Read our submission: National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track) Bill 2024 (PDF 215 KB) 

EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE: LIFE CHANCES

​The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) is a social justice organisation that works to prevent and alleviate poverty across Australia. You are receiving this email as you have previously subscribed to the BSL Social Policy and Research Centre newsletter. To unsubscribe, please click on the link below.