Poverty is a choice: NCOSS
People who experience poverty do not choose poverty, but the society that creates it does, so it’s time to choose a different way according to the NSW Council of Social Service.
This Anti-Poverty Week (11-17 October) NCOSS will hold the Sydney Festival for Civil Society to shine a light on the causes of poverty and disadvantage, share the work that civil society organisations are doing across the state to reduce poverty and disadvantage and identify action that the sector, business and government can take.
NCOSS CEO Tracy Howe said at last count there were almost 900,000 people in NSW who are experiencing poverty.
“More than one in five of those people are children. Sydney has a higher rate of poverty than any capital city in Australia at 15 per cent. We can do so much better than this.”
Ms Howe said the Festival would bring a huge range of people together to look at solutions to the state’s current rates of poverty.
Professor Gillian Triggs will share her thoughts on the role of civil society in advancing human rights and reducing poverty in our communities.
Comedian Corey White will speak about his experience in out of home care.Civil society organisations will run workshops featuring innovative work and research they’ve been doing to address disadvantage.
The Premier will address the Festival about the work the Government is doing to improve the lives of people experiencing poverty and disadvantage.
“Poverty and disadvantage cannot be solved by any one organisation or sector on its own,” said Ms Howe.
“We’re getting people from government, business, social and community services and people with lived experience of poverty and disadvantage in the room.
“That’s why this Festival is so important. It’s getting everyone that needs to be involved in solving these persistent issues in one place, at one time to start a conversation about how we make the change we want to see.”
NCOSS will launch a 2016-17 Pre-Budget Submission with 7 recommendations for the state on Monday 12 October.
Sydney Festival for Civil Society
When: 9am-5:30pm, 14 October 2015
Where: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh
Who: Premier Mike Baird, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs, Comedian Corey White.