Social Justice
Social Justice starts with a conversation that is guided by shared values that hold us all together as a community, including respect, understanding, empathy and compassion.
Through active dialogue, advocacy enables the ‘voiceless’ within our community to be heard, and by working together, collaborating, we seek to ensure the fair treatment of all people within our community.
Guided by our vision of ‘Many Faiths, One People’, the Interfaith Network will from time to time initiate and or support local and broader Social Justice initiatives.
Stories of Social Justice
IFN welcomes reflective pieces focused on Social Justice.
For many people of Faith, Social Justice is an expression of their Faith and is core to their service to others.
By sharing stories, this deepens our awareness, connection and understanding of Social Justice, the efforts of individuals and communities to raise awareness, to educate on issues and through collaboration bring about positive and lasting change.
If you would like to share a reflective piece, please contact our Executive Officer, Livia Carusi, via executive@interfaithnetwork.org.au
Social Policy Connections (SPC) – Striving for a better tomorrow
Social Policy Connections draws on the rich resources of the Christian social traditions and works to bring them into creative engagement with contemporary challenges to human wellbeing.
SPC offers a forum in which to help develop a renewed vision of a just Australia, and to invite into the public arena voices informed by Christian social values. An independent organisation, SPC can often advance its views on contested issues more freely and directly than can church leaders themselves.
Many Australians find their sense of social responsibility affirmed and enhanced by the values of the Gospel, especially when it comes to concern for the disadvantaged and distressed. The churches have long emphasised such social responsibility and genuine care for others. They have developed their social views in terms of human rights, social equity and equality of opportunity, and the fostering of societies that support the flourishing of all their people, but especially of those who are disadvantaged.
The imperative to strive for social justice expresses one of the core elements of Christian belief. The word ‘solidarity’ captures the sense of determination and commitment needed if we are to succeed in reshaping our world with increased peace and justice.
For a brochure on SPC, click HERE.
Please click here the Social Policy Connections website, www.socialpolicyconnections.com.au
Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC)
ARRCC is a multi-faith, member-based organisation of people from around Australia who are committed to taking action on climate change. Our members represent a variety of religious traditions. We believe that as people dedicated to the common good, inspired by our beliefs and energized by our spirituality, people of all faiths can and should be at the forefront of creating a safe climate. While celebrating the uniqueness of our different traditions, we stand together in working for an ecologically and socially sustainable future.
Please click here to learn more about ARRCC, www.arrcc.org.au
Back Your Neighbour
Stand up for our neighbours who need certainty, stability, and support to build their lives. Back Your Neighbour is a coalition of Local Governments, community organisations, unions and individual Australians advocating on policies affecting people seeking asylum in our local communities.
It is auspiced by the Local Government Mayoral Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum.
From July 3rd – July 5th, the Local Government Mayoral Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum advocated at the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) 2024 National General Assembly in Canberra. A delegation was held at Parliament House meeting with key Ministers and MPS across the aisle about the campaign and pushed for policy changes that support asylum seekers.
The Interfaith Network of the City of Greater Dandenong has endorsed the Back Your Neighbour Campaign and is included in this list of endorsing organisations advocating for change in the support of asylum seekers.
Please click here for further information.
Our City, Our Future – City of Greater Dandenong, 2040 Vision
In 2021 our community set a vision for 2040, that the City of Greater Dandenong is a home for all. It’s a city where you can enjoy and embrace life through celebration and equal opportunity. Over the next year Council will be creating a plan to achieve this vision and improve the health and wellbeing of our community. Please click here to view the IFN response to the City of Greater Dandenong, Our City, Our Future Survey. For further information, please contact Livia Carusi, Executive Officer at executive@interfaithnetwork.org.au