Social Action Research Centre

At the Social Action Research Centre (SARC), we contribute to building a more just Tasmania.

This means we listen, collaborate, research, advocate and educate. We carry out research and work for changes that will reduce poverty and disadvantage.

We listen to the views and experiences of people in local communities. We also hear from frontline workers.

We share what we learn with others – including decision-makers in government. Our research is available free of charge.

Areas of focus:

Child, Youth and Family Wellbeing
Healthy Ageing
Housing & Homelessness
Inclusive Communities
Financial Wellbeing

Our research

The poker machine card. Simple As.

Gambling - What's the Real Cost?

Rental Affordability Snapshot

Survival Mode Research

The Right to Belong Research

Research and Publications

Our Ethical Framework

SARC has high ethical standards for our research. We conduct our research with honesty, integrity and respect.

Anglicare Tasmania seeks approval from a registered Human Research Ethics Committee for all research involving participants.

Major research projects are overseen by a reference group that is consulted about ethical safeguards.

Areas of Focus: Financial Wellbeing

A public health approach to ensure the financial wellbeing of all Tasmanians is essential.

We know through our research and support services that harms to financial wellbeing cost many people their health, relationships, jobs and homes.

Gambling causes significant harm to many Tasmanians. We support the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to introduce a card-based system for poker machines to reduce harm.

Buy Now Pay Later services are also harming Tasmanians who are vulnerable or on low incomes. We support the regulation of these credit services to reduce harm.

Our research can help government with decisions about policy, systems and services to improve the financial wellbeing of Tasmanians.

'The poker machine card. Simple as.' Report Publications Buy Now, Struggle Later? Gambling - What's the real cost? Survival Mode Anglicare Services

Areas of Focus: Child, Youth and Family Wellbeing

The wellbeing of children, young people and their families is important to us.

But in Tasmania, many measures of wellbeing are declining and some children, young people and families are experiencing significant problems. Our research can inform decisions about policy, systems and service improvements to help them.

Publications Unaccompanied Homeless Children Better, Bigger, Stronger Young, in love and in danger Anglicare Services

Areas of Focus: Housing and Homelessness

We believe that everyone has a right to a home.

Housing options for low-income Tasmanians are limited due to a shortage of affordable rentals and social housing in our State.

Homelessness has a significant impact on health and wellbeing. It also affects educational outcomes and makes it harder to find and keep a job.

Our research highlights the importance of affordable housing as essential infrastructure.

Publications Rental Affordability Snapshot The Right to Belong Research Project Waiting for social housing Anglicare Services

Areas of Focus: Healthy Ageing

Tasmania has an important interest in supporting people to age well at home. About one-fifth of Tasmanians are aged 65 or over, and higher in rural areas.

Our research can help our state with decisions about policy, systems and services for older Tasmanians.

Treasured Lives Anglicare Services

Areas of Focus: Inclusive Communities

We want resources and services to be accessible to all Tasmanians.

Our research can inform planning decisions to support people to live well.

Research Project - Trips Not Made

Areas of Focus: Other Projects

SARC researchers sometimes work in partnership on other projects, like evaluations, quality improvement projects or other research.

The Freedom Project

Latest publications

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The poker machine card. Simple as.

The poker machine card. Simple As.’ report looks at the government’s commitment to introduce a card-based system for poker machine gambling in Tasmania, how it will work and the four critical features need for the card to be effective. It explains how this simple and reasonable measure will reduce harm from gambling and benefit all Tasmanians, including recreational users of poker machines. Download

Action for a healthier community: An effective response to illicit drugs

This position paper builds on Anglicare's work to reduce the harms from drug use, enable the development of natural social supports for members of our community who have drug use disorders, and work for a more just approach. Read More

What's the Real Cost?

This report explores the real cost of gambling, drawing on new research, data from Anglicare Tasmania’s counselling service and real life case studies.

It explains how gambling harm adversely affects the health, relationships and financial wellbeing of the person who gambles, their family, friends and community. It shows how gambling helps to maintain persistent disadvantage and how reducing gambling harm can benefit all Tasmanians. Download