If you’re anything like me, you want to support causes you are passionate about, but you also want to ensure any organisations you get involved with are unprejudiced, inclusive and highly ethical. I conducted extensive research to find the most reputable organisations across a range of issues.
So if you’re not sure where to start, I support and thoroughly recommend the following organisations:
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) is Australia’s largest human rights organisation providing support to people seeking asylum. We are an independent not-for-profit organisation whose programs support and empower people seeking asylum to maximise their own physical, mental and social wellbeing. We champion the rights of people seeking asylum and mobilise a community of compassion to create lasting social and policy change.
Australian Marine Conservation Society: Fight for our Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, home to fish, corals, turtles, dugongs, sharks, whales and dolphins but right now it is under critical threat from rising ocean temperatures. Protecting the Reef for the future means stopping the damage caused through the burning of coal, oil and gas. Together, we can demand immediate action and turn back the clock on climate change.
International Elephant Project
The elephant’s rainforest habitat is disappearing at an unprecedented rate. And much of what remains is degraded by drought, forest fires and illegal logging. Tragically, extinction in the wild is likely for both Sumatran and Bornean elephants if we do not take immediate action. Our mission is to ensure the survival of all elephant species in their natural habitat by undertaking genuine, measurable and effective elephant conservation
The International Tiger Project (ITP) is a not-for-profit project for tiger conservation, rainforest protection and local community partnerships, in order to protect and save the entire ecosystem and biodiversity of habitats shared by tigers. Run by The Orangutan Project (TOP) Board, ITP was formed to conserve the entire ecosystem of tigers in a holistic manner.
Over 1,000 orphaned orangutans are living in rescue and rehabilitation centres. Care of these infants is costly and requires 24hr staff, veterinary, and nurse care to ensure they are in a healthy condition and have the best chance of returning to life in the wild. All adoption money goes directly to helping orphans at the care centres we support and providing opportunities for a safe return to protected forests.
Australia is founded on land that was stolen from Indigenous people. The wealth that has been generated by that theft is disproportionately distributed. This land was never empty; the sovereignty of First Nations people was never ceded. While governments and individuals have said Sorry to the Stolen Generations, they have taken no meaningful action. Paying the Rent is a step towards acknowledging these facts. It is part of a process that all non-Indigenous people need to enter into if we are to move towards justice, truth, equality and liberation for First Nations people.
Less than 1% of all charitable philanthropy in Australia goes towards addressing LGBTQIA+ issues. Pride Foundation Australia is a national philanthropic foundation specifically focused on funding LGBTQIA+ community issues in Australia. It actively works to increase philanthropic support for the Australian LGBTQIA+ and allied communities through fundraising, grant giving, collaboration and commissioning projects.
The Venny is a free communal backyard and safe space for children aged 5 to 16 located in JJ Holland Park, Kensington. It is a space where kids can engage in risk-taking play, creativity and connectedness with other young people. The Venny also works with schools, agencies, families and more to facilitate intercultural sharing, food services, therapeutic support, and social cohesion in the local area.
Wildlife Victoria has provided the community with a Wildlife Emergency Response service for 35 years. Every year, thousands of native animals in Victoria become sick, injured or orphaned, often as a direct result of human activity. If left unassisted, these animals may suffer and die in pain or of starvation. We receive over 100,000 requests for help a year and help over 80,000 animals. In addition to the rescue service, through our education programs and activities we help wildlife by providing people with the knowledge and skills they need for peaceful and positive co-existence with wildlife, and by facilitating positive community attitudes toward wildlife.
WIRE: Women’s Information and Referral Exchange Inc.
Free support, referrals and information on any issue for women, non-binary and gender diverse people in Victoria. We offer a range of training programs, information seminars and clinics, and also research and advocate for our Victorian community. WIRE offers you a safe place to share your experience. No matter what your issue, we’re here to listen and support you, and provide referrals and information on helpful services and practitioners.
Our global community invests in women survivors of war and conflict, providing them with social and economic skills to transform their own lives. Women pass their knowledge to those around them, creating a more just world – a world where every woman’s voice, role, and contribution are visible and valued. For 30 years, Women for Women International has used an integrated approach to go beyond charity to innovation: We are a learning organization that listens to data, our teams on-the-ground, and women themselves to constantly evolve and improve the way we work.
