Globally, Australians are known for their laid back attitude towards life, often stereotyped to be calm and carefree, however new research from Ben & Jerry’s The Scoop on Activism, is setting out to challenge this, revealing Australians are stepping up when it comes to driving positive change.

Moving away from traditional images of loud street protests and rallies, Australians are banding together to make powerful contributions towards positive change, via everyday actions with their time, their voices or their resources. 

Conducted by Lonergan Research surveying 1,494 Australians, Ben & Jerry’s The Scoop on Activism reveals 7 in 10 (69%) of Aussies are taking action in their communities or for the planet, even if they don’t consider themselves an ‘activist’. A further 85% of Australians have also taken meaningful steps toward environmental or societal causes in the last 12 months alone.

However the research also indicates as many as two-thirds (66%) of Australians want to do more to help make a difference, though are unsure what to do.

With so many ways for people to get involved in their local community or further abroad, below are just some initial ways people looking to make a change for good can do so.

Volunteer Locally

Join a local not-for-profit or community group to lend your time and support. Whether it's helping at a community centre, animal shelter or food bank, even the smallest of help can make a big difference.

Organise Or Participate In Clean Up Events

A great way to support the environment, clean up events require little resources to organise and offer instant rewards by making your local area more inviting.

Host Or Attend Educational Workshops

Sharing knowledge on important topics like sustainability, mental health or community needs, is a great way to learn about ways you can help around the community and encourage others to do so as well.

Join Or Form A Community Group

You don’t need to wait for others to come up with the solution to make a difference. Reach out to others and brainstorm ways you can support your local community. Find your passion and inspire others to lend a hand to help.

Support Local Businesses Doing Good

Making a bigger impact can be hard and often requires vast resources. Researching and supporting businesses that align to your values and supporting their efforts, is a great way to make a difference beyond your local community.

The Scoop on Activism comes as Ben & Jerry’s launches its ‘Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change’ campaign to empower Aussies to embrace their inner activist and encourage them to make an impact, no matter how big or small.