Despite sustained economic growth in Australia, inequality persists and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. Unemployment and underemployment are increasing. Factors such as age, gender, disability or ill-health, and ethnic background may affect pathways into and in and out of work. People who rely on low wages or income support can struggle to make ends meet.
Our research and policy work examines the links between the changing nature of work, social and economic policy, inequality and insecurity. We study the current and future impacts for those groups in society, including recent migrants, that are more likely than others to experience poverty and social exclusion. Our work informs the development of policies and programs to address the growing differences in employment opportunity and economic security.
Working longer, staying healthy and keeping productive
This study will explore the diversity of older workers’ work–health dilemmas and effective national policies to solve them.
Humanitarian migrants, work and economic security on the urban fringe
What factors inhibit or enable the economic security of migrants on Safe Haven Enterprise visas or Temporary Protection visas?
Parents and workforce participation
Supporting parents of young children to plan for future employment involves opportunities and challenges.
Enhancing employment services for mature-age jobseekersExisting policy responses to workforce age discrimination tend to focus on the role of employers. This research project by contrast focuses on employment services.
Spinning the plates
How are low and moderate income households coping with financial uncertainty?
Understanding and preventing workforce vulnerabilities in midlife and beyond
This study examines mature aged people's lived experience, pathways and outcomes of involuntary non-participation or underparticipation in paid work.
Life Chances study
The latest stage of this unique longitudinal study examines how family income, social class, ethnicity and gender affect the education and employment pathways of young people.
Basic income: trade-offs and bottom lines working paper
Understanding financial wellbeing in times of insecurity working paper
Inclusive work and economic security: a frameworkWorking paper by Dina Bowman and John van Kooy
Four articles related to mature-age employment in Social Policy and Society vol. 15, no. 4
A gendered analysis of age discrimination among older jobseekers in Australia, by Michael McGann, Rachel Ong, Dina Bowman, Alan Duncan, Helen Kimberley and Simon Biggs, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Working Paper 16/01
Refugee women as entrepreneurs in Australia
Article by John van Kooy in Forced Migration Review
Too old to work, too young to retireWith people living longer and the working age population in decline, older Australians are being asked to work longer. Yet increasing numbers are experiencing long-term unemployment and chronic job insecurity.
Making sense of youth transitions from education to work. The term 'youth transitions' has become increasingly fraught as the age range of 'youth' is stretched.
Employer toolkits: towards inclusive employmentThe strengths and limitations of ‘toolkits’ designed to help employers remove barriers for particular jobseeker groups.
No! Not equal
Dina Bowman and Yvette Maker present the urgent need to address the gender inequality that prevents many Australian women from achieving economic security, in a publication by Future Leaders. Download the No! Not equal text by chapter
What’s the difference? Jobseeker perspectives on employment assistance
Understanding employer engagement programs for disadvantaged jobseekers: an exploratory study
Browse other publications on work and economic security
Contact Dina Bowman (03) 9483 1373 or dbowman(at)bsl.org.au to find out more about this work.
The world of work has profoundly changed in our modern economy & disadvantaged people face greatest risk: twitter.com/thetiser/statu…
