Meet the Labs
cohort one
Pride cup
Jason Ball and James Lolicato
The Pride Cup is building local advocates for LGBTI inclusion in sport. The Cup utilises the power of local football clubs to bring together disparate regional communities to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion for LGBTI people. The centrepiece of a Pride Cup is a local football match themed around LGBTI inclusion – creating ripple effects throughout local communities.
Original Power
Karrina Nolan
Original Power is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led organisation who provide resources for communities and campaigns to stand up against fossil fuel extraction and mining in their local communities. Original Power aims to build the power of their people, increasing the effectiveness of their campaigns and developing ideas and networks for self-determined solutions.
Better Renting
Joel Dignam
There are more renters in Australia than ever before - many of whom will rent for the rest of their lives. However, the current emphasis tends to be on the property rights of landlords instead of the right to a dignified home for renting families. Better Renting is a community of renters working together for stable, affordable, and liveable homes.
Rainbow Families
Vanessa Gonzalez, Mat Howard and Ash Scott
Rainbow Families provide its community of LGBTQI families with access to programs, opportunities for social connection, advocacy support and educational opportunities. They tackle issues affecting their community with bravery, pride and respect, and strive to ensure their community has access to the resources, education and support needed to ensure resilient, loving, vibrant families.
AUWU
Owen Bennett and Jeremy Poxon
The Australian Unemployed Workers Union (AUWU) provides support for unemployed people who have difficulty navigating the increasingly complex and punitive welfare system. They run a phone and email support service, and advocacy campaigns to amplify the voices of unemployed people and put pressure on MPs to represent their interests.
1 in 3 voters
Meagan Lawson and Corey Irlam
Seniors may not be a single homogenous movement, but their sheer diversity and size provides an unrivalled opportunity to influence policy outcomes through activation across the electoral cycle. In addition to an online community, 1 in 3 voters will develop, train, support and deploy a team of ‘MP liaisons’ to maximise the effectiveness of the project’s dialogue and action.
Democracy in Colour
Tim Lo Surdo
Democracy in Colour is Australia’s first national racial justice advocacy organisation led by people of colour. They run campaigns to tackle structural racism; hold political, cultural and corporate leaders to account on the things they say and do on race; and strengthen the political voice of people of colour.
cohort 2
Council for Single Mothers and their Children
Jenny Davidson
The Council of Single Mothers and their Children (CSMC) is a proven organisation looking to revitalise the way they work to build people power and advocate for single mothers. The CSMC advocate for the rights of single mothers, and offer direct support on financial security, affordable housing, mental health and wellbeing, flexible work and legal protection.
YOUNG CAMPAIGNS
Lee Strike, Cat Nadel and Alex Fuller
YOUNG are building the power of young people to win campaigns for a fairer future. They're independent and led by young people, campaigning across issues for young people and building grassroots power. It's their vision to connect more young people to the democratic process - in the next year they'll mobilise 100,000 campaigners, training 1,000 leaders and give voice to 200 media spokespeople.
Digital Rights Watch
Tom Sulston
Formed in 2016, Digital Rights Watch exists to strategically defend Australians' privacy and human rights in the digital era. Advocating for a free and open internet, DWR are working to end government surveillance, introduce copyright reforms and social media platform responsibility. They run campaigns, produce robust policy, provide media commentary and host events that build support for a framework to protect human rights online.
Unharm & Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Nevena Spirovska, Ash Blackwell, Will Tregoning, Nick Kent and Gulliver McLean
Unharm, with the support of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, are mobilising people who use drugs, alongside the health, legal and academic sectors to end punishment and stigma around drug use. It's their vision to shift the way we think about drugs and create a community that values the health, safety and freedom of everyone.
Sugar by half
Tania Sincock
Too much added sugar not only increases our risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, it impacts our sleep, reduces the ability of our brain to focus and can impact the behaviour of our kids. Sugar by Half are working to cut our added sugar intake in half by campaigning for improved labelling, reformulation of foods containing sugar, restrictions on junk food marketing and a levy on sugary drinks.
cohort 3
Road to Refuge
Jeanine Hourani
Since 2012, Road to Refuge has been on a mission to change the conversation on seeking refuge and asylum in Australia. They amplify the voices and perspectives of those with lived experience seeking asylum, and work with cultural institutions to shift the way these stories are told in theatres, art galleries, films and radio. Jeanine brings local and international experience working in refugee rights and public policy. Find out more >
Sweltering Cities
Emma Bacon
Sweltering Cities is shaping a long-term campaign to engage heat-stress affected communities to build community capacity to shift public discourse and political power. The project will be piloted in Western Sydney - the hottest place on earth on 4th January 2020 - then rolled out in other affected communities. Emma brings 10+ years experience in community organising, environmental policy, human rights campaigning and electoral politics.
Refugee Voices
Ahmad Hakim
Refugee Voices is a new national advocacy organisation led by refugees. It’s their mission to build the capacity of the refugee community to run campaigns that shift policies that are harmful to Australia's refugee community. Ahmad brings a lived experience of seeking asylum, as well as extensive experience in community organising, stakeholder relations and capacity building in the sector.
Climate and Health Alliance
Fiona Armstrong and Adam Pulford
The Climate and Health Alliance is a national coalition building a powerful health sector movement for climate action. With experience as a nurse, journalist and policy expert, Fiona founded the organisation in 2012, establishing her voice as a world expert on climate change and health. Adam brings 10+ years experience advocating for human rights and working in electoral politics and the Federal Parliament. Find out more >
Australian Democracy Network
Saffron Zomer
Australian Democracy Network is a new collaborative initiative supported by the Human Rights Law Centre, Australian Conservation Foundation and ACOSS. The initiative will defend immediate threats to civil society, shift the story around democracy, and build an active movement of Australians to support proactive campaigns. Saffron is a lawyer and campaigner who brings more than a decade experience working on social change campaigns.
Australian Parents for Climate Action
Suzie Brown
Australian Parents for Climate Action was founded in 2018 as a group of non-partisan parents campaigning for a safe climate for their children’s future. Suzie is the mother of 7 year old Lila and passionately fighting for her future - bringing 20 years experience working in environmental education, policy and advocacy across the non-profit and government sectors. Find out more >
We acknowledge that we are living and working on Aboriginal land.
We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and pay respect to Aboriginal Elders past and present.
© Australian Progress & ACOSS 2018