Media Release: Next week is Anti-Poverty Week!

This year, Anti-Poverty Week (APW) will be held across Australia from the 17-23 October 2021. In 2021, during APW we will be reminding all governments that there are two key things they can do to reduce poverty for individuals, families and children: raising the rate of income support above the poverty line and investing in social housing.

One in 8 Australians live below the poverty line and 1 in 6 Australian children below the age of 14 live in poverty. Anti-Poverty Week supports the Australian community to have an increased understanding of poverty and to take action collectively to end it.

Here in the ACT, poverty is often hidden behind high averages and the relative wealth of the ACT compared to other jurisdictions. Yet here in the ACT, 37,000 people are living in poverty including 9,000 children.

During anti-poverty week we will be asking Canberrans to reflect about poverty and disadvantage on our own doorstep and what we can do to make a change.

Some events are open now! Activities for 2021 ACT Anti-Poverty Week include:

• Take 10 to Talk About Poverty, Monday 18 October to Friday 22 October

Take ten minutes in your local workplace to talk about disadvantage on our doorstep and what we can do to make change.

• Anti-Poverty Week Art Competition, open now for entries!

The APW Art Competition is a youth art competition open to all ACT Youth 18 years and under! Entries are open until Friday 15th October and the theme of the APW Art Competition is “Hopes for My Future”. Winners will be decided by a vote during APW https://antipovertyart.com/votehere and announced on Friday 22nd October.

• Genevieve Jacobs in conversation with Hugh MacKay, Wednesday 20 October 12.30pm-1.30pm

We invite you to watch as a group or individually a pre-recorded interview between ACT Anti-Poverty Week Ambassador Genevieve Jacobs and social researcher Hugh Mackay and join online conversations about supporting our community.

• National Carillon Lit Up Blue, Thursday 21 October – Friday 22 October & Telstra Tower Lit Up Blue, Thursday 21 October

The colour blue has been chosen in line with the lighting up of monuments across Australia to symbolise a brighter future of hope particularly for children living in poverty.

• Teaching Resources for Years 3-10 on Poverty and Inequality in Australia, available now!

Published on the Cool Australia online platform: Poverty and Inequality in Australia – Primary Lessons and Poverty and Inequality in Australia – Secondary lessons.

For a full list of events and more information and resources on APW you can go to the ACT’s Anti-Poverty Week page which lists all the events. For information on events in other jurisdictions and the national campaign visit the national Anti-Poverty Week website.

The 2021 ACT Anti-Poverty Week is convened by Co-Chairs Jenny Kitchin, CEO Woden Community Service and Dr Emma Campbell, CEO ACT Council of Social Service. It is supported by an Executive Committee with representatives from Canberra Community Law, YWCA Canberra, Relationships Australia Canberra & Region, St Vincent De Paul Society Canberra and Goulburn, Woden Community Service and ACTCOSS.

This year we are partnering with Hands Across Canberra to encourage donations to ACT community organisations.

For more information or comment, please contact

Dr Emma Campbell, CEO, ACTCOSS, on 0424 910 617 or 02 6202 7200.