social inclusion: beyond planning to action plans International perspectives and Australian opportunities

why social inclusion? One of the biggest challenges facing Western democracies is how to share the social and economic wealth around to build communities in which everyone can belong, contribute and be valued This will involve tackling the causes of social exclusion: poverty, discrimination, inequality and lack of opportunity

australians living on the edge … poverty and exclusion are a disgrace in a country as wealthy as Australia

poverty and exclusion affect real people Very low income, money carefully managed Very low income, money carefully managed Lives dominated by a shortage of money Lives dominated by a shortage of money Money spent on food, household bills & children’s basic needs Money spent on food, household bills & children’s basic needs Widespread borrowing & indebtedness Widespread borrowing & indebtedness Bypassed by growing economy Bypassed by growing economy Experience of exclusion and unbridgeable gap to participation Experience of exclusion and unbridgeable gap to participation

poverty and exclusion affect real people Poor health – adults & children - strong correlation between low income & ill health Poor health – adults & children - strong correlation between low income & ill health Limited education Limited education Unemployment or insecure jobs Unemployment or insecure jobs Poor local environment and poverty postcodes Poor local environment and poverty postcodes Experience of second generation joblessness and welfare dependency Experience of second generation joblessness and welfare dependency

For the fair go to have a future in Australia, we need to get serious, together, about building an enabling society – one that actively promotes the inclusion and participation of all citizens through integrated policies that underpin healthy communities, a healthy environment, and a healthy economy.

Social inclusion does not happen by accident, or overnight. It requires sustained political commitment and government leadership, including through building action partnerships across government, business, the community sector and local communities.

Experience in Australia and overseas indicates a number of key building blocks for a strategic national approach

First, we need a bold vision of an enabling society that puts people at the centre and ensures that those most vulnerable have their basic needs met with dignity.

Second, we need to create pathways to inclusion that identify and remove the significant barriers that stand in the way of vulnerable Australians. Barriers like access to education, skills and training, childcare, affordable housing, and dental and general health care.

Third, to be effective, a national social inclusion strategy requires transparent goals, targets and milestones, so that we are clear about where we want to be, can monitor progress and refine our strategies, and engage a growing circle of people in achieving an enabling society.

a national commitment a national commitment The Federal Government is committed to a social inclusion strategy that brings together fairness and prosperity, in which economic and social policy work together to create a fair go for all Australians

national inclusion priorities 1. Affordable housing/homelessness 2. A national employment strategy focussed on disability and mental health 3. Joblessness 4. Children at risk of lifetime disadvantage 5. Better neigbourhoods/neighbourhood renewal

equity, community, sustainability Manne on Rudd Rudd’s genius is to take the three foundational values of neo– liberalism: liberty, security and prosperity – and to add to those three additional values derived from Christianity, socialism and the social democratic tradition: equity, community and sustainability

commitment from the ACT commitment from the ACT The ACT Government developed the Canberra Plan comprising the Canberra Social Plan, the Spatial Plan, and the Economic White Paper

role of the community sector The community sector is a critical social partner for government in addressing the complexity of issues around social inclusion/exclusion: - poverty and disadvantage - education and employment - joblessness - reconciliation - our multicultural identities

and not just the community sector Business, unions, and communities themselves are also key partners for government in engaging social inclusion

closing the gap or social cohesion? Anti poverty plans – Ireland and the UK Anti poverty plans – Ireland and the UK National Actions Plans for Inclusion (NAPs Incl) National Actions Plans for Inclusion (NAPs Incl) EU experience is that the best way to tackle poverty seriously is to focus the social and economic agenda addressing the causes of social exclusion AND to promote social inclusion EU experience is that the best way to tackle poverty seriously is to focus the social and economic agenda addressing the causes of social exclusion AND to promote social inclusion

lessons from the EU Wealth of ideas from EU strategy for herding cats in a complex system –bottom-up and top-down –shared ownership –a place for everyone to contribute

European context In March 2000 at Lisbon Council decision was to In March 2000 at Lisbon Council decision was to make a decisive impact on poverty and social exclusion by 2010 Invest in 3 areas to move on poverty Invest in 3 areas to move on poverty 1. greater social inclusion 2. more and better jobs 3. sustained economic growth

common objectives NATIONAL ACTION PLANS 1. To facilitate participation in employment & access to resources, rights, goods & services for all 2. To help the most vulnerable 3. To prevent the risks of exclusion 4. To mobilise all “actors”

Ireland: national anti-poverty strategy (NAPS) Conceived at the UN world summit 1995 Conceived at the UN world summit 1995 Launch of Strategy 1997 Launch of Strategy 1997 –Agreed definition of poverty –Analysis of causes and those at risk –Global target for poverty reduction –5 themes: education, employment, income, disadvantaged urban areas, rural poverty –Structures for implementation –Equality and participation principles –10 year time frame

Ireland: poverty definition People are living in poverty if their income and resources (material, cultural & social) are so inadequate as to preclude them from having a standard of living which is regarded as acceptable by Irish society generally. As a result of inadequate income and resources people may be excluded and marginalised from participating in the activities which are considered the norm for other people in society.

Ireland: poverty measures Consistent poverty (1 st measure) Consistent poverty (1 st measure) –When a person has less than 70% median income & does not have basic items (food, clothing, heating – deprivation indicators) Income poverty (2 nd measure) Income poverty (2 nd measure) –60% median income (median: the middle ranked person, not the average)

Ireland: poverty proofing The process by which government departments, local authorities and state agencies assess policies and programs at design and review stages in relation to the likely impact they will have or have had on poverty and on inequalities which are likely to lead to poverty, with a view to poverty reduction.

Ireland: income inequality Like Australia, income inequality is growing in Ireland Like Australia, income inequality is growing in Ireland –Resulting in people at the bottom becoming alienated from the rest of the population –Huge issue for Australia in the context of a structurally ageing population and the future of participation

Ireland: building an inclusive society Global target to eliminate consistent poverty Global target to eliminate consistent poverty 36 targets in all 36 targets in all  Themes: income, employment, education, health, housing/accommodation  Vulnerable Groups: women, children & young people, older people, Travellers, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, urban & rural dwellers Strong institutional framework Strong institutional framework Evaluation strategy (data & research) Evaluation strategy (data & research)

Ireland: institutional framework Cabinet Sub-Committee on Social Inclusion Cabinet Sub-Committee on Social Inclusion National Office for Social Inclusion National Office for Social Inclusion Combat Poverty Ireland Combat Poverty Ireland Social Inclusion Units in Govt Depts & Local Authorities Social Inclusion Units in Govt Depts & Local Authorities Social Inclusion Consultation Group Social Inclusion Consultation Group Social Inclusion Forum Social Inclusion Forum

Ireland: successful initiatives Commitment to increase Child Benefit payment by >150% over three years (>100% achieved) Commitment to increase Child Benefit payment by >150% over three years (>100% achieved) Increase social welfare above inflation Increase social welfare above inflation Introduction of minimum wage Introduction of minimum wage Reduction in early school leaving from 31% to 15% via targetted initiatives Reduction in early school leaving from 31% to 15% via targetted initiatives Family support initiatives Family support initiatives Equality initiatives Equality initiatives

Ireland: successful initiatives Local employment services Local employment services Investment in training Investment in training Transitional arrangements – retention of medical card and child payments Transitional arrangements – retention of medical card and child payments In-work benefits In-work benefits Increase tax threshold at bottom end Increase tax threshold at bottom end Improve childcare provision & access Improve childcare provision & access Integrated area initiatives Integrated area initiatives

lessons from Ireland & the EU Vision, political commitment critical Vision, political commitment critical Agreement on key issues Agreement on key issues Mainstreaming social inclusion Mainstreaming social inclusion National to local (top down, bottom up) National to local (top down, bottom up) Universal & targeted approaches Universal & targeted approaches Participation & partnership Participation & partnership Monitoring progress and evaluation Monitoring progress and evaluation

Government must provide leadership and work with others to address seemingly intractable and complex issues Must mobilise all the actors

the ACT experience the Canberra Social Plan: goals, milestones, targets the Canberra Social Plan: goals, milestones, targets The ACT Community Inclusion Board – expert advice to Chief Minister on causes and consequences of social exclusion and oversight of the Canberra Plan The ACT Community Inclusion Board – expert advice to Chief Minister on causes and consequences of social exclusion and oversight of the Canberra Plan Commitment from the centre: Chief Minister and Cabinet Commitment from the centre: Chief Minister and Cabinet Driven out of central department Driven out of central department Built on a human rights foundation Built on a human rights foundation

the ACT experience The overarching goal of the Canberra Social Plan: communities in which everyone belongs, contributes and is valued. The overarching goal of the Canberra Social Plan: communities in which everyone belongs, contributes and is valued. Plan developed in consultation with community sector, business and the ACT community. Yet to achieve development in partnership, but working on it! Plan developed in consultation with community sector, business and the ACT community. Yet to achieve development in partnership, but working on it!

ACT Community Inclusion Board Neighbourhood and belonging Neighbourhood and belonging Community Inclusion and Household Debt Community Inclusion and Household Debt Poverty proofing – poverty impact analysis Poverty proofing – poverty impact analysis Closing the gap - school indicators, service delivery Closing the gap - school indicators, service delivery Left out and missing out – community views on those essential building locks for a decent life Left out and missing out – community views on those essential building locks for a decent life

ACT Community Inclusion Board Community wellbeing indicators Community wellbeing indicators Climate change social impact assessment Climate change social impact assessment Long term unemployment Long term unemployment Building integrated data sets across the ACT (early intervention first) to monitor and evaluate impact of interventions Building integrated data sets across the ACT (early intervention first) to monitor and evaluate impact of interventions

a whole of government partnership strategy will include –coordinated action to address different causes and effects –partnerships that draw on strengths of different social partners –targets and reporting to drive change in life outcomes for real people and communities

where to for WA? Vision, political commitment critical Vision, political commitment critical Political leadership Political leadership Agreement on key issues Agreement on key issues A human rights foundation A human rights foundation Mainstreaming social inclusion Mainstreaming social inclusion Universal & targeted approaches Universal & targeted approaches Coordination essential across govt and with social stakeholders Coordination essential across govt and with social stakeholders Person centred approaches: both at the individual and the community levels Person centred approaches: both at the individual and the community levels

where to for WA? Twin focus on social and economic outcomes Twin focus on social and economic outcomes Twin focus on closing the gap and social cohesion Twin focus on closing the gap and social cohesion Flexible resourcing – no “one size fits all” approach Flexible resourcing – no “one size fits all” approach Participation & partnership Participation & partnership Data critical – collection, analysis, evaluation to enable robust policy development Data critical – collection, analysis, evaluation to enable robust policy development Evidence based actions Evidence based actions Monitoring progress and evaluation Monitoring progress and evaluation

For the fair go to have a future in Australia, we need to get serious, together, about building an enabling society – one that actively promotes the inclusion and participation of all citizens through integrated policies that underpin healthy communities, a healthy environment, and a healthy economy.