get involved: roadtripping for a cause

Next month, 1000 young volunteers from across the country will take part in a four-day road trip to Canberra in a bid to educate everyday Australians about extreme poverty and to petition government leaders to commit to ending extreme poverty.

The roadtrip forms part of the End Poverty Campaign by Oaktree, Australia’s largest youth-led movement to end global poverty.

Overshadowed by the government’s cuts to health and education, foreign aid actually suffered the most – with $7.6 billion worth of cuts over the next five years.

Oaktree are concerned that the cuts will stifle progress, leaving more people in poverty with fewer opportunities for education and healthcare.

Australian aid is exceptionally high quality and has done really incredible work to help end extreme poverty.

‘In the last year alone, over 200,000 lives were saved and half a million young people were educated thanks to Australian aid. Such significant cuts we’ve seen in the last 12 months damage that good work,’ said Head of End Poverty Campaign at Oaktree, Fiona Canny.

The Oaktree Roadtrip will be an opportunity for young Australians to lobby everyday Australians as well as leaders to make a commitment to end extreme poverty.

‘We’re looking to educate people about the issue of extreme poverty and have those meaningful conversations that allow us to change perspectives,’ said Fiona.

Volunteers will campaign on the streets, encouraging everyday Australians to sign petitions. They will also collaborate with local community groups to highlight the issue of extreme poverty through ‘the power of conversation’.

On October 1, the group of 1000 will congregate at Parliament House to meet with over 100 MPs and senators. The volunteers will share their experiences of the roadtrip and call on politicians to ensure they are committed to ending extreme poverty in the lead up to November’s G20 summit.

This year’s G20 summit will focus on issues of tax justice. Oaktree is keen to see tax reforms that benefit the poor and that tax practices are transparent to keep multinational corporations accountable.

‘What we’ll be really pushing for is that global leaders recognise the important work that tax reform can have in ending extreme poverty and that these changes are extended not only to the world’s 20 richest nations but also to the poorest nations in the world,’ said Fiona.

Oaktree’s 2014 Roadtrip will take place from September 28th until October 4th, 2014. To get involved, visit www.oaktree.org/roadtrip