Civic participation and engagement are foundational to strengthening democratic resilience. This paper explores how machine learning-enabled data reconciliation of publicly available information about charities can generate new insights and an initial approach to map civic volunteering opportunities across Australia. This is a first step towards mapping broader access to civic participation infrastructure.

The paper tests if and how an Australian civic opportunity index can be constructed, starting with access to volunteering opportunities. It advances understanding of where charities are providing opportunities for people to be engaged in their communities.

The findings reveal regional inequalities, with most opportunities concentrated in capital cities and coastal regions, and some areas, particularly in regional and remote Australia, effectively functioning as 'civic deserts'. By identifying where engagement opportunities are lacking, this work offers an evidence base for targeted policy, funding and civic renewal strategies.

Key policy recommendations

• Invest in civic infrastructure in 'civic deserts'.
• Support organisations that offer engagement, not just services.
• Expand the data ecosystem.
• Target support based on local context.