Darwon's Theory | The Price of Unity

It's a serious one this week, but an important one. Social cohesion has hit an all-time record low. In fact, it's plummeted. It's been widely covered in the news and, to be honest, it's pretty bleak. It's something that affects all of us, and the neighbourhoods we all live in. So, what is it?

The Mapping Social Cohesion project effectively provides a barometer of social well-being, funded by the Scanlon Foundation. Think of it as a dipstick that measures our population's feeling of belonging and inclusion, participation, justice, and similar. In the news, you might have seen it as a measure of the number of people who 'are extremely proud of the Australian way of life', and how our society feels about the obvious and growing wage gap in our society. This year, economic pressures and disparities have caused the index to plummet to a record low.

Now, you know me - I need to blow the headlines open. It's an itch of mine, and we're going to scratch it today. This index has only been around for 16 years, so in truth, there's no way we can say social cohesion is 'the lowest it's ever been'. It's not a comparison to our grandparents' experience, for example. However, it's the lowest on record - and that really, truly is important.

Feeling confused? Look, social cohesion simply isn't the same across Australia, across Queensland, or across Brisbane. It's similar to how I talk about mico-markets; to define social cohesion - at least when considering your day-to-day - you need to look at things on a micro level. As in, your direct neighbourhood.

Strangely enough, the index peaked in November 2020 during the pandemic. A time when so many of us were gathering on our median strips (when permitted) and even turning our fences into fold-down bars so we could share a pint with our neighbours. I was a relatively new southside-of-the-river resident before the pandemic, and my experience of the community during these few years has been nothing short of incredible.

Regardless, this year, cost of living pressures are squeezing vulnerable members of our wider society. So, here's my Christmas message. According to Scanlon's index, those feeling the pressure the most are single-parent families. 63 per cent of this cohort feel socially isolated, and more than that have reported they're only just getting by. It shouldn't take an index in the headlines to tell us this, but as someone who was raised by a single mother, I will absolutely take this as an opening to invite you to look into what's happening in your local area. The local supermarkets' gift appeal is a great place to start.

This year, our team is supporting the Little Ray of Giving for Hummingbird House - Queensland's only children's hospice again.We are incredibly grateful for your generosity and, together with the reach of our database, we make up a huge number. Regardless of how you choose to support your community this year, the point is that this Christmas it will be appreciated more than ever.

The next time we'll chat will be in December, so I'll be appreciative (as always) that you read these ramblings in between the busyness of life. In the meantime, best wishes to you and your family - I hope you're all keeping well this festive season.

Cheers,

S.D.