Social Action and Research Centre

Social Action and Research Centre (SARC)

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.

Our research

Rental Affordability Snapshot

Inclusive communities- Trips Not Made

Young, In Love and In Danger

Gambling - What's the Real Cost?

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: 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: 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: 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 Waiting for social housing 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: 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.

Publications Buy Now, Struggle Later? Gambling - What's the real cost? Our recommendations Anglicare Services

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 The Mothering Project

Latest publications

View all

Young, in love and in danger

This research explores the prevalence and impacts of teen domestic violence and abuse in Tasmania. The research provides an insight into the experiences of young people who have experienced domestic violence and abuse in their own intimate partner relationships when they were under 18 years of age.

The first Tasmanian study of its type, the research recommendations include addressing gaps in support services and legal responses, expanding education and providing specialised training to professionals.

Content warning:
This report recounts experiences of serious domestic violence and abuse of young people. Download

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

Better, Bigger, Stronger Final Report

This is the full report of the research project Better, Bigger, Stronger.

The report delivers the findings and recommendations from the research, which investigated the complex mental health needs of Tasmanian children aged 10-17 who are homeless without a parent or guardian. Download