-
Climate emergency and prisons don’t mix
On a 38-degree December day in the middle of the desert, 15 people incarcerated at Alice Springs Correctional Centre used t-shirts and pedestal fans to rip a hole in a ceiling, in a desperate attempt to escape the stifling heat of their overcrowded cells. The incident reignited calls to air-condition the prison – one recommendation of the Northern Territory Ombudsman, and firmly in step with the Territory’s human rights obligations to people deprived of their liberty.
-
Reflecting on the role of neighbourhood houses under a changing climate
Jesuit Social Services’ Centre for Just Places worked with a network of neighbourhood houses in Darebin to create a climate action and resilience plan in 2022. Inspired by this process, the Centre co-designed a framework with the Darebin network which can be used to guide strategic action planning and advocacy for networks of neighbourhood houses across the country. No similar framework currently exists for neighbourhood house networks. Below are some of our reflections from this work.
-
‘Open door’ place-based approach facilitates culturally safe space for First Nations people
Recently, Jesuit Social Services’ Centre for Just Places, our hub for place-based action, research and advocacy, was commissioned by the Victorian government to investigate what makes some place-based approaches so effective. Our team, alongside partners RMIT University, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and the University of Queensland, explored existing literature and practice, publishing a research report and case studies across the state, including the Latrobe Valley Authority.
-
Place-based approaches unlocking inclusive employment opportunities for marginalised people
In communities where mainstream employment programs aren’t able to meet the needs of marginalised job seekers, place-based approaches have great potential to unlock new opportunities for people excluded from the workforce.
-
Climate justice in Darebin: Lived experiences of heatwaves and other extreme weather
Extreme weather, such as heat, storms and bushfire smoke, affects us all, but we know it affects some people in our community more than others.
-
Healing the web of relationships that sustains us
We all rely on healthy land, water, and air, not only for our survival but our ability to live fulfilling lives. Many of us find joy and replenishment in spending time in Australia’s natural spaces: our bush and desert, grasslands, rainforests, beaches, coral reefs, and even our local parks.
-
Net zero has transformative potential for disadvantaged Victorians
Jesuit Social Services recently made a submission to the independent panel tasked with making recommendations to the Government. In it, we argued for a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions alongside a range of measures to achieve a just transition.