Canberra Community Data Hub (Narrative Development & Community Voice)

The Canberra Community Data Hub will be an online platform that brings together data and community insight to better understand Canberra’s strengths and needs. Led by Hands Across Canberra and the Snow Foundation, and powered by Seer Data, the Hub will present accessible, up-to-date dashboards alongside contextual information such as community research, case studies, and lived experience insights.

Building on the Vital Signs initiative, the Hub shifts from static reporting to a dynamic, continuously updated evidence base to inform decision-making, policy, and resource allocation across the ACT community sector.

Purpose of Project

This project engages students from the ANU McCusker Institute to contribute to both the narrative development and community voice elements of the Data Hub. The aim is to ensure that data is not only accurate and accessible, but also grounded in lived experience and community context, strengthening its relevance and impact.

Scope of Student Contribution

Following the initial identification and compilation of datasets for the public-facing platform, McCusker students would support the refinement and development of accompanying narratives and community-informed content.

Key areas of contribution may include:

• Reviewing and sense-checking AI-generated summaries to ensure clarity, accuracy, and appropriate interpretation of data.
• Strengthening narrative content by drafting or refining explanatory text that contextualises data trends and highlights key insights.
• Identifying where additional narrative is required to support user understanding, particularly for complex or sensitive indicators.
• Recommending opportunities for visual storytelling, including where infographics or data visualisations would enhance comprehension and engagement.
• Conducting light-touch research scans to identify relevant supplementary studies, reports, or evidence that could deepen the narrative.
• Highlighting gaps, risks of misinterpretation, or areas where additional nuance or community context is needed.

Community Voice and Storytelling

• Supporting the collection and synthesis of community voice, including short stories, case studies, or lived experience insights aligned to key themes.
• Identifying ethical and appropriate ways to represent community perspectives, ensuring consent, sensitivity, and accuracy.
• Translating qualitative insights into concise, accessible content that complements quantitative data.
• Recommending where community stories can be embedded within the platform to enhance understanding and connection to the data.

• Familiarise yourself with all involved parties including Hands Across Canberra, the Snow Foundation, Seer Data and the Vital Signs initiative (link to be shared on commencement).

Expected Outputs

• Reviewed and refined narrative content aligned to selected indicators and datasets.
• Suggested edits and annotations to AI and non-AI-generated summaries.
• Draft community stories or case studies (where appropriate and feasible).
• Recommendations for visual enhancements (e.g. infographics, charts, storytelling elements).
• Brief research summaries or references to strengthen key narratives where relevant.

Benefits of the Collaboration

For the Canberra Community Data Hub

• Improved quality, clarity, and credibility of public-facing content.
• Stronger integration of data with lived experience and community insight.
• Narratives that are accessible to a broad audience while maintaining analytical integrity.

For ANU McCusker Institute Students

• Practical experience working on a live, sector-wide data initiative.
• Exposure to applied data interpretation, storytelling, and ethical engagement with community voice.
• Opportunity to contribute to a high-impact project supporting social outcomes in the ACT.

Future Opportunities

There may be opportunities for ongoing student engagement in future phases of the Hub, including deeper research projects, evaluation, or supporting community organisations to contribute their own data and insights.

Image credit: Hal Gatewood