The study shows where charities create opportunities for Australians to engage in civic life. These include opportunities for volunteering, joining groups, attending events and taking action. Most of these opportunities are concentrated in our cities. The study also identifies “civic deserts” in regional and remote areas where opportunities may be limited, although many charities run programs in these areas. The findings highlight the need to look more closely at the reach of Australia’s charity and not-for-profit sector across the country. The work was funded through the RDRDN with support from the Department of Home Affairs, and the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute commissioned the data collection.

This Impact Report highlights our key achievements since the Scanlon Foundation Research Institutes inception in 2019.

Take part in this important study. We want to hear from you about your experiences of settling in Australia! Survey is currently closed.

The Australian Cohesion Index brings depth and context to the picture of social cohesion in Australia in order to drive informed debate and decision-making.

What is the state of social cohesion in Australia? The Scanlon-Monash Index of Social Cohesion (SMI) provides an overview in the five core domains of social cohesion: belonging, worth, social justice, participation and acceptance and rejection.