New research produces snapshot of Australians' perceptions of community sector

The Community Compass report found that while most Australians think the community sector makes the world a better place, there were wide ranging differences of opinion when it came to issues such as government funding, advocacy, and participation.

The report, commissioned by Our Community and the Community Council for Australia and prepared by strategic policy research firm 89 Degrees East, divided Australians into six distinct segments in terms of their views of and engagement with the sector.

They include:

• Enthusiastic Engaged (20%)

The strongest supporters of the community sector, this group believes the sector helps make the world a better place and are active supporters of community organisations.

• Begrudging Bygones (10%)

Leaning toward more conservative views, this group tends not to be active contributors to their community. They are concerned society is going downhill and are nostalgic for a time when people were more connected.

In the foreword to the report, Charities Minister Andrew Leigh said the community sector played a vital role in an era where social cohesion is strained.

"The Community Compass report is more than just a collection of data; it is a call to action. It challenges policymakers, community leaders, and citizens alike to recognise the contributions of the community sector.”

Mr Leigh said the findings highlighted both strengths and areas for growth within the community sector.

"By understanding and addressing the diverse attitudes of Australians, we can better support community organisations and build a fairer, more cohesive society."

The director of research at 89 Degrees East, Dr Rebecca Huntley, said the study revealed there was broad support in Australia for the community sector and the people who are part of it.

“Encouragingly, most Australians see the sector as important for people like them and are happy to contribute even if it doesn’t directly benefit them,” said Dr Huntley.

"Many Australians are also open to getting more involved in their communities and the research shows the barriers to greater involvement and points to ways in which we might encourage people to overcome them.

"However, this research reveals a series of tensions across the community - especially in how different values and beliefs inform our diverse views of the sector, it’s purpose and our beliefs about the people who rely on it."

The report found that the majority of Australians believe that community organisations make the world a better place and that the more time people have to be involved in community activities, the stronger community is. However, almost half said they don't have the time to help out as much as they would like.

Ominously for the sector, almost half the nation believes community organisations should stick to serving their communities and stay out of politics.

The inaugural ACNC commissioner, Adjunct Professor Susan Pascoe, who is also chair of the Community Directors Council, said the report was an important piece of work because it tapped into the views of a cross-section of Australians on how they view community and community organisations.

"We are used to measuring ourselves as a nation using a variety of metrics such as financial indicators, employment data, access to health and housing, and so on.

"While these measures are important, the Community Compass Report fills an information vacuum by probing and analysing our views about community."

Emeritus Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes of the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies described the report as significant because it was anchored to the values of Australians and their beliefs about their community engagement.

"If you want to double philanthropy and increase volunteering, you need to have a serious conversation about our values as a community," he said.

"It [the report] will provide an invaluable resource for all sector participants to reflect on the implications for their endeavours, but more importantly, what a government strategic plan for the community sector should consider."

Read full coverage of the Community Compass report in tomorrow’s edition of Community Directors Intelligence.

You can access the report here once it's published on Thursday morning, July 18.

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