We are proud of our broad reach since launching in 2020. Our projects are co-designed and delivered with community organisations to benefit communities experiencing disadvantage or marginalisation due to a range of social issues.

To date, our research has made an impact in the areas of financial precarity, homelessness, family violence, modern slavery, refugee and migrant settlement, veteran resettlement, mental health and suicide prevention, support for young parents and parents of sick/premature babies, intergenerational trauma for Indigenous Australians, psychosocial disability, stunting and poor nutrition, youth development, healthy ageing and care for the aged care workforce, and provision of allied health services for residents in social housing.


27 partner organisations supported to grow their research capacity

24 community-initiated research projects activated by the SESU

55 academics collaboratively working alongside community

14 social issues explored

Our research inspires change

Our projects have led to:


New or reinvigorated multi-agency working groups and cross-sector communities of practice, sharing knowledge, advocating for fairer policies and practices and implementing new initiatives for impact

Evidence-based employment accelerator events to fast-track employment for refugees and migrants

Social services receiving increased funding

Advocacy on issues of national importance, with the research informing social services' submissions to federal budget announcements, the review of the NDIS and so on

Changes to and expansion of community programs and courses to improve outcomes for program participants in response to the research recommendations

Impact case study: How our research has benefited refugees and migrants

Creating employment pathways for refugees and migrants in Western Sydney

New initiatives in Western Sydney are helping refugees and migrants move into meaningful work. Employment Accelerator events connect job seekers directly with local employers, supporting interviews, job offers and clearer pathways into employment in Australia.

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New roadmap to work in Australia with overseas qualifications

The recredential roadmap helps migrants and refugees with overseas qualifications understand how to return to their professions in Australia. The online tool brings key information together in one place, guiding users through qualification recognition in clear, practical steps.

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Why choose the SESU?


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What our community partners say about us

'Through this experience, we have learnt a lot of new skills and we have a fantastic evaluation report that we can present to potential funding bodies and government to help us to expand the program... The SESU is a wonderful asset for community services and the team help to bridge the gap between academics/research and community work.'
Mr Chris McNamara
CatholicCare Victoria
'I most definitely recommend SESU to other organisations. To have such an amazing team help guide that process, it enriches everything from the beginning to the end and it helps to ultimately get you to the outcomes that you're looking for.'
Ms Shana Challenor
Suicide Prevention Pathways
'Throughout the partnership we felt valued and heard. The mutual respect shown encouraged engagement from our team and an energy and commitment to ensure success of the project. When the project commenced, we knew that we wanted to measure the effectiveness of the program and deepen the learning from the pilots, but we were unsure of how to achieve this. The ACU team deeply listened to the work done to date and were able to guide us on the best way to research the program outcomes. The experience of collaboration was positive and rewarding.'
Ms Kerryn Tutt
CatholicCare Sydney

Meet some of our academics

'Although I used a research methodology that is familiar to me... learning about a very different population to the one I know best was incredibly enriching, and I have committed now to completing one project a year outside my comfort zone.'
Professor Sara Bayes
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine
'I was able to use my research skills to assist with a real-life problem which was immensely satisfying, the research will make a difference to the organisation we partnered with, and for the people who the partners work with. I find that this kind of research has benefitted my teaching in Sociology considerably through communicating to my students the impacts of migration, the importance of economic participation, and how national and political contexts structure life outcomes.'
Dr Haydn Aarons
School of Arts and Humanities
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