Building a future where everyone has equal opportunity to belong, contribute and thrive.
This is the heart of Welcoming Australia’s mission, and it’s also a fitting way to enter the
holiday season. When our families and communities gather as another year comes to a
close, how can we take actions that build opportunities for belonging?
Neighbourhoods where everyone belongs – it’s not only what Welcoming Australia and
Neighbours Every Day have in common, but recently released results of the
Scanlon Foundation Research Institute’s 2022 Mapping Social Cohesion Report show that it’s
something our communities value and invest in, too!
Substantial majorities in 2022 value belonging; they feel that they belong in their
neighbourhood (82%) and that their neighbourhood has a strong sense of community (66%).
As we approach the festive season and look ahead to 2023, what intentional actions can we
take to ensure this sense of belonging and community is felt by everyone
How can we actively work towards justice, healing and self-determination for First Peoples?
How can we ensure people who seek safety on our shores are offered the certainty of a
secure future, with pathways to residency, citizenship and family reunion?
What can we do to act as good global neighbours, standing in solidarity with communities
most affected by climate change?
How can we stand with LGBTQIA+ community members in love and solidarity, in response
to actions of bigotry and hatred?
How do we challenge exclusion and demand accessibility – in person and online – for the 4.4
million Australians with disability, both visible and invisible?
Our own wellbeing and sense of belonging is intrinsically linked with that of our community;
with our neighbours near and far. We all benefit from building and being part of connected,
inclusive communities.
This festive season, may we reach out, invite in, and make bold stands for inclusion.
What might it look like to work for a future that values belonging for all?
What actions can we take, in our communities, our schools, our workplaces, our sporting
clubs, our places of worship, our families and neighbourhoods that create belonging?
I’m excited to see what we can do, together, to build a future where no matter where
you come from or how you arrived, no matter the language you speak, God you worship
or who you love, you have the opportunity to belong in the community you call home.
Welcoming Australia is a non-partisan movement and organisation committed to cultivating a culture of welcome and advancing an Australia where people of all backgrounds have equal opportunity to belong, contribute and thrive.