The Australian Government’s vision of a socially inclusive society is one in which all Australians feel valued and have the opportunity to participate fully in the life of our society.

Achieving this vision means that all Australians will have the resources, opportunities and capability to:

• Learn, by participating in education and training
• Work, by participating in employment or voluntary work, including family and carer responsibilities
• Engage, by connecting with people, using local services and participating in local civic, cultural and recreational activities and
• Have a voice, in influencing decisions that affect them.

When people are lacking in certain resources, opportunities and/or capabilities so that they are unable to participate in learning, working or engaging activities and are unable to influence the decisions affecting them, they can experience social exclusion.

The Social Inclusion Agenda addresses the need to make our society a more inclusive one as well as the need to overcome the processes leading to, and the consequences of, social exclusion.

The agenda is based on a set of social inclusion principles and has specific priorities that are currently being addressed.