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Charities play an increasingly important role in helping people experiencing poverty. However, institutionalized charity shifts the burden of poverty reduction away from the state and exposes recipients to stress and stigma. In this paper, we examine whether the need for institutionalized charity can be offset through enhanced state support. As in other countries, the Australian government responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by substantially increasing the level of income support to citizens through several temporary payments. We draw on this natural experiment and time-series data from the two largest charity organizations in Queensland, Australia to examine how these payments altered the demand for institutionalized charity. We model these data using difference-in-difference regression models to approximate causal effects. By exploiting the timing and varying amounts of the payments, our analyses yield evidence that more generous income support reduces reliance on charity. Halving the demand for charity requires raising pre-pandemic income-support by AUD$42/day, with supplements of approximately AUD$18/day yielding the greatest return on investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, like many high-income countries, food insecurity is associated with increased risks of chronic diseases, sub-optimal development outcomes in children, and mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. Food insecure households employ a range of strategies, including the use of food charity, to help alleviate hunger and meet cost of living pressures. The aim of this paper is to investigate the lived experience of food insecurity for welfare-dependent households, and to examine these experiences within a structural violence framework. Structural violence investigations seek to understand the distal causal factors that can help explain poor health patterns and inequities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with customers (n = 78) of food pantries, soup kitchens, and community development programs (June 2018 to January 2019) in the state of Victoria, Australia. Thematic analysis established evidence of controlling, demeaning and depriving practices in the interactions between the participants and the services and staff at national welfare providers and food charities. The same providers and charities nominally set up to address the exact situations in which participants found themselves. The findings of this study suggest that food and social services are an on-the-ground setting through which structural violence is enacted and experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective interventions are needed to stop homophobic behaviours in sport settings as these behaviours are associated with negative health and social outcomes for individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or other diverse genders and sexualities. This paper reports the results of a quasi-experimental study commissioned by a public health agency to explore the benefits of a novel intervention that has been widely adopted by Australian community sport clubs. The 'Pride Cup' intervention includes education for club leaders, sport participants and the hosting of a rainbow-themed 'pride game'. Survey responses of male participants from six randomly selected sport clubs which had received the intervention (n = 148) were compared to responses (n = 137) from six randomly selected comparison clubs (Australian Football, cricket, field hockey, roller derby). Employing a post-test-only design, the study explored differences in homophobic attitudes, behaviours and individual efficacy to react negatively to homophobic behaviours. The study found significant differences (p < 0.001) in self-reported use of homophobic slurs (e.g. fag) in the last 2 weeks by participants in the treatment (11%) versus comparison (31.8%) clubs, and significant differences in the perceived use of these slurs by teammates (25.9% vs. 56.6%) or coaches (7.8% vs. 23.3%). There were also significant differences in efficacy scores, but no differences in homophobic attitudes. These results, combined with evidence of community-driven adoption, support the allocation of public health resources to conduct larger scale trials using pre/post designs to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global narratives of educational philanthropy tend to emphasise the significant influence donors have in shaping public school policy and practice. In Australia, however, tax laws work to narrow the possibilities for philanthropy to exert influence over public schooling. Indeed, public schools (unlike private schools and Higher Education institutions) are unable to receive 'direct' philanthropic income, yet they can benefit from philanthropically supported programmes and services. Delving into this complex regulatory environment, this paper maps the types of philanthropic actors – including foundations, charities, intermediaries, not-for-profits, churches and Parent and Citizen associations – that are working with/in Australian public schools, and questions their potential to influence school policy and practice. We cautiously argue that edu-philanthropy in the Australian context is not a picture of policy distortion, but one that is responding to the current policy context of economic rationalism and the rollback of the welfare state, to support and enrich public schooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walking along side those responding to climate-related threats as co-researchers is surfacing new understanding of the potential for community action in complex and chaotic situations. Action research enables academia, government, non-government organizations and community members to learn collaboratively, building knowledge that is nuanced and contextualized. Whilst this approach aims to disrupt traditional power in relation to knowledge production, it continues to struggle for legitimacy and, hence, policy and practice traction, sitting uncomfortably in a field dominated by positivist empirical strategies a "single truth." This article draws on two action research case studies – the first a multi-partner place-based engagement and the second a learning partnership with a philanthropic organization operating across two Australian States – to illustrate how we might navigate the contours of power that shape our efforts to build knowledge collaboratively. Drawing on these experiences we identify two key challenges to successful industry/academic action research partnerships: shifting power and translating knowledge to broader audiences. We conclude with ideas to improve future action research practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tax concessions for charities and not-for-profifits are well established and available in most countries around the world. Australia is unique in providing concessions to an extremely broad range of entities beyond the notion of "charity". Many of the specifific concessions were introduced decades ago, and there is no mechanism to check if the concessions are still justifified. This article considers some examples where the concessions are available to entities that either do not need or, alternatively it could be argued, do not deserve taxpayerfunded support. This article argues that as a result of the lack of concern about tax policy, the piecemeal approach to amending the legislation and the inertia about changing the system to remove provisions that no longer serve the intended purpose, we not only have a system that is not fifit for purpose, but could be described as "a dog's breakfast". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study explores the barriers to food security for vulnerable women from the perspective of charity managers within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Region. Interviews were conducted with six charity managers. Analysis of charity's perspectives identified nine themes across two overarching areas: barriers to charity providing food security services (charity accessibility, inter-charity support and charity reliance on donations) and barriers to women attaining food security (income, accommodation type, transport, women's attitudes and beliefs, stigma/trust and food literacy). Understanding the barriers to women's food security is essential in addressing the underlying social and economic issues creating food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across rich nations with welfare states, charity continues as a dominant force in the lives of people who are poor. Inadequate state welfare and high housing costs drive people in poverty to seek daily support from charities. Based on in-depth interviews with 24 volunteers providing charity and 57 people receiving charity in Australia, as well as on observations of the provision and receipt of charity in practice, this article examines the experiences and meaning of charity from those who provide and receive it. The analysis shows that people receiving charity feel shame, and this shame derives from the judgements of volunteers and the position of recipients as passively receiving what is given. The findings also show that some volunteers actively engage with recipients to mitigate shame, and the dynamic interaction between provider and receiver of charity can reduce the shame people experience. Despite these successes in mitigating shame, the unidirectional provision of charity to people in poverty fails to take account of the value people place – and society expects – on reciprocity. Prioritizing the interests of those in poverty who receive charity, the article argues for the necessity of transforming charity to create conditions for reciprocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For most of the twentieth century, district nursing services struggled to make public the private work of district nursing, undertaken as it was behind the closed doors of homes and residences of people who were poor, chronically ill, or disabled. Two factors that influenced this difficulty included making this work visible to the general public as well as the gendered nature of the work itself. This paper explores these factors by considering district nursing within the context of charity work and argues that the nature of nursing work and who the nurses were themselves, played key roles in the success or otherwise of districting nursing services negotiating this public-private nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency relief is assistance provided by community agencies to people in financial crisis, usually recipients of income support payments. The present study reports on an exploratory, qualitative study of the experiences of people who seek emergency relief. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 emergency relief recipients from seven different agencies. Although the interviewees reported some positive experiences, distinct limitations in the extent of assistance were also perceived. Accountability for appropriate processes and quality assurance in service delivery are important requirements of agencies. Increased government funding to assist agencies to provide more holistic services would lead to more effective outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many populations at risk of social isolation, including Older Women Living Alone (OWLA), existing services to maintain independence and optimise well‐being are difficult to access, unsuitable or unavailable. Co‐creation is a strategy to develop 'person‐centred' services that meet the needs of individuals. We adapted an existing framework for co‐creation and used participatory action research methods, supported by an evidence base comprising a systematic review, analysis of routinely collected data and interviews, to develop person‐centred services for OWLA. This approach achieved co‐creation through an iterative process of consultation and review, involving a series of facilitated discussions with women living alone and stakeholders. A total of 13 women living alone, aged ≥55 years, and 11 stakeholders representing service providers and advocacy groups, were recruited to participate in these discussions. Sessions with between three and five OWLA, were held across Melbourne. The information was compiled and presented to service stakeholders in a single facilitated forum, held in central Melbourne. Smaller facilitated sessions with OWLA followed, to review and discuss the collated service stakeholder input. The information from these OWLA sessions were again compiled and directed back to the service stakeholders for consideration and further discussion. The two groups came together for a final forum to prioritise the co‐created ten services that they believed would be feasible and would address unmet need to support OWLA maintain independence. The process of co‐creation was time‐consuming and required considerable preparation to facilitate input from the target population. Small groups, gathering at convenient local locations, with transport support were essential in removing barriers to participation. However, co‐creation was a viable method of eliciting the women's preferences and developing services more likely to meet their needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This personal comment examines legal developments in the Australian third sector over the last fifteen years. It begins by reflecting on the significant cases that have changed the face of the charity law after decades of no significant cases. This is followed by some observations about substantial legislative reform during the period. Finally, some comments are made about the development of legal scholarship, professional services and future challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the role of philanthropic micro-grants (maximum of $10 000) in the provision of aids and equipment for adults (aged 18–65 years of age) with complex disabilities and examine key trends in aids and equipment requests.Method: This study examined, through quantitative and qualitative analysis, aids and equipment requests (n = 371 individual applications as represented by 136 service organisations in three Australian states) received by a not-for-profit (NFP) organisation across five consecutive years of an innovative micro-grants scheme.Results: Findings highlight that living situation (living with family or living independently) significantly influences the nature of requests for respite, aids, equipment and home modifications. Specifically, people with complex disabilities living with their families require greater combined service provision (higher equipment need, respite support, home modifications) than those living independently (equipment need only). Type of disability did not influence request type. Qualitative data further indicated the “last resort” nature of respite requests, particularly for younger applicants (under 45 years of age) indicating critical unmet needs in the community.Conclusions: Results demonstrate the vital role of NFP organisations and philanthropic funds in supporting daily lifestyle aids and equipment (including respite) that might otherwise not be funded for people with complex disabilities. Although preliminary in its scope and prior to implementation of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia, findings suggest both opportunity and risk to the uptake of community-based micro-grant funding: opportunity for users through the provision of essential aids and lifestyle supports, and risk through over-subscription and devolving of responsibility for critical support resources from public sector.Implications for RehabilitationThe aids and equipment needs of adults under the age of 65 appear to have been underestimated, poorly defined and under-serviced.Service users need more assistance for their carers (i.e. equipment to facilitate safe lifting, urgent breaks from care routines) as well as aids, equipment and modifications to help them to live a more normal life (e.g. going to the beach).Living situation (i.e. independently or with family) significantly influences the nature and extent of aids and equipment requested. Supporting adults up to the age of 65 to live more independently would positively influence carers and family, while at the same time providing opportunities for more targeted personal care supports.Philanthropic and not-for-profit schemes are helping to address these needs through micro-grant schemes for purchases under $10 000, but sustainability is questioned.The introduction of Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) presents an opportunity to consider the lifestyle needs of service users and carers, and determine who is best placed to address them. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article considers the principles of charity law that have governed the relationship between religion and charity, and identifies some distinctive Australian characteristics. This leads into a review of international charity law reform. Leaving aside all the many reasons for, and the varied outcomes of, these processes, the article focuses squarely on the implications of law reform for the relationship between charity and religion. Its objective is to identify jurisdictional differences in the changes made to charity law and to examine their nature and effect. The article concludes by providing an outline of the options now facing Australia as it wrestles with charity law reform, and considers what, if any, adjustments should be made to the law so as to ensure that the relationship between charity and religion is appropriate for life in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Pauperism' is a familiar and powerful explanatory concept for historians of charity and welfare, one that underpinned the discourse of charity in the nineteenth century. However the rhetoric of pauperism did not follow the same pattern in all colonies, nor was it applied with equal rigor to all Indigenous communities. This article tracks differing perceptions of pauperism in colonial Australia. It argues that the use (or non-use) of the language of pauperism was related as much to the political and cultural milieu as to the nature of charity or the people who received it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early developments in the Australian system of provision for poor people led first to voluntary charitable assistance and then to a more generalized system of social security. A national scheme of old age pensions came in only in 1908; and social assistance schemes, as well as demogrants for defined statuses have gradually spread throughout the Australian Commonwealth. Specific provisions to meet crisis situations remain the responsibility of individual States. There are strong discretionary elements in the whole system. The arrangements for appeals against administrative decisions, and the reviews of these arrangements recently made, are then examined critically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]