Connecting Government to Community: A study of social and political connectivity at the municipal level. Facilitating community strengthening by making public institutions more responsive to the needs of citizens is a central policy challenge in the global era. This project will advance theoretical, methodological and practical understandings of this issue by using comparative measures of personal ties and organizational connectedness in four municipalities to explicate the networks linking poli ....Connecting Government to Community: A study of social and political connectivity at the municipal level. Facilitating community strengthening by making public institutions more responsive to the needs of citizens is a central policy challenge in the global era. This project will advance theoretical, methodological and practical understandings of this issue by using comparative measures of personal ties and organizational connectedness in four municipalities to explicate the networks linking politicians, bureaucrats, civic leaders and ordinary citizens. The study will generate new measures of which kinds of connections count most, which ties bring more isolated groups closer to engagement, and which community strengthening strategies are likely to make improved governance outcomes feasible.Read moreRead less
The Costs of Foster Care in Australia. The aim of the study is to determine adequate and appropriate levels of reimbursement for carers by undertaking empirical research on the economic and social costs associated with fostering. For the first time in Australia the indirect costs to carers will be examined and a model developed for reimbursing foster carers similar to other paid carers in the community. In collaboration with the Industry Partner it will explore the feasibility of using budget st ....The Costs of Foster Care in Australia. The aim of the study is to determine adequate and appropriate levels of reimbursement for carers by undertaking empirical research on the economic and social costs associated with fostering. For the first time in Australia the indirect costs to carers will be examined and a model developed for reimbursing foster carers similar to other paid carers in the community. In collaboration with the Industry Partner it will explore the feasibility of using budget standards methodology to estimate the direct costs of care of children by refining and adapting budgets to reflect costs specific to different types of foster care.Read moreRead less
Auditing the Victorian Charter: Australian and international perspectives on applied human rights. This project is a detailed legal, government and policy case study of the most important human rights initiative in recent Australian history. It will provide research and new knowledge in key areas of human rights: the operation of human rights Bills, links between human rights and social disadvantage, education and community attitudes, and strategic government implementation. The project will d ....Auditing the Victorian Charter: Australian and international perspectives on applied human rights. This project is a detailed legal, government and policy case study of the most important human rights initiative in recent Australian history. It will provide research and new knowledge in key areas of human rights: the operation of human rights Bills, links between human rights and social disadvantage, education and community attitudes, and strategic government implementation. The project will develop a new policy tool (a national Audit) to monitor, plan and strengthen human rights in government and the community, and contribute to better social wellbeing and stronger democracy in Australia.Read moreRead less
Community consultation and the hard to reach. Local government, social profiling and civic infrastructure. This study offers conceptual insights into reasons for non-participation in local government consultation, drawing on critical policy analysis and debates on governance and democratic capacity. The collaboration of 7 local councils and the VLGA enable the development of a transferable, generally viable framework linking: (i) sophisticated demographic profiles (ii) types of communication me ....Community consultation and the hard to reach. Local government, social profiling and civic infrastructure. This study offers conceptual insights into reasons for non-participation in local government consultation, drawing on critical policy analysis and debates on governance and democratic capacity. The collaboration of 7 local councils and the VLGA enable the development of a transferable, generally viable framework linking: (i) sophisticated demographic profiles (ii) types of communication media on a continuum of intensity (face to face, telephone/mail survey, email/Internet); (iii) issues on which residents wish to be consulted; and (iv) implications for civic infrastructure. Outcomes will benefit councils and Victorian citizens by providing an innovative, practically applicable framework for policy implementation using consultative processes.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354698
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$40,000.00
Summary
Future Generation: New Knowledge for Better Outcomes for Children and Young People. Australia is a prosperous country, yet over recent decades many indices of the health and wellbeing of children and young people have deteriorated. Reasons for this are not well understood, and the nation is poorly equipped to devise effective, sustainable responses. Our vision is to create new ways of thinking and acting through new collaborations across disciplines, sectors and levels of government, with non-re ....Future Generation: New Knowledge for Better Outcomes for Children and Young People. Australia is a prosperous country, yet over recent decades many indices of the health and wellbeing of children and young people have deteriorated. Reasons for this are not well understood, and the nation is poorly equipped to devise effective, sustainable responses. Our vision is to create new ways of thinking and acting through new collaborations across disciplines, sectors and levels of government, with non-research communities of interest as full partners. The aim is to generate and apply new concepts and forms of knowledge, undergirded by comprehensive, better integrated data. Expected outcomes are enriched life chances for children and young people.Read moreRead less
ARACY/ARC/NHMRC Research Network: Future Generation. Research across a range of disciplines is urgently needed to understand the complexity of pathways contributing to the healthy development of children and young people in modern societies like Australia and to develop effective strategies to improve them. Given our economic prosperity and the level of knowledge about human development, it is profoundly disappointing that many child and youth problems are increasing, creating a crisis in servi ....ARACY/ARC/NHMRC Research Network: Future Generation. Research across a range of disciplines is urgently needed to understand the complexity of pathways contributing to the healthy development of children and young people in modern societies like Australia and to develop effective strategies to improve them. Given our economic prosperity and the level of knowledge about human development, it is profoundly disappointing that many child and youth problems are increasing, creating a crisis in services. This application brings together a highly talented network of researchers to work collaboratively and innovatively with policy makers and those providing services, to enable both new knowledge and implementation of what we already know, to enhance children's futures.Read moreRead less
Resettling Visible Migrants & Refugees in Regional and Rural Victoria. Increasing numbers of visible migrants and refugees are settling in rural and regional Australia. Critical knowledge of how this is working is of national significance as it can improve cohesiveness, sustainability and quality of diverse communities and intergovernmental policies. By working directly with our industry partners in local and state government in Victoria, this project will provide concrete examples of good pract ....Resettling Visible Migrants & Refugees in Regional and Rural Victoria. Increasing numbers of visible migrants and refugees are settling in rural and regional Australia. Critical knowledge of how this is working is of national significance as it can improve cohesiveness, sustainability and quality of diverse communities and intergovernmental policies. By working directly with our industry partners in local and state government in Victoria, this project will provide concrete examples of good practice which will also be of benefit nationally. The project findings will have far-reaching implications for our understanding of migrant and refugee resettlement in Australia; and will consolidate Australia as an important site of international expertise.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354489
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Network for Innovation in Research and Public Policy to Promote the Health and Wellbeing of Australia's Children and Young People. The network will build research enterprises that promote the health and well-being of children and young people through the enhancement of relevant public policy and civic institutions. It will bring together researchers from universities, government agencies, non-government organisations and peak bodies in recognition of the important research being done in and acro ....Network for Innovation in Research and Public Policy to Promote the Health and Wellbeing of Australia's Children and Young People. The network will build research enterprises that promote the health and well-being of children and young people through the enhancement of relevant public policy and civic institutions. It will bring together researchers from universities, government agencies, non-government organisations and peak bodies in recognition of the important research being done in and across these sectors. It will build on existing established, formal and informal relationships between researchers, as well as seek to forge new relationships. Finally, the network will produce new research agendas that address issues of pressing importance for the health and well-being of children and young people.Read moreRead less
Is retirement village living good for health: Comparing the health of older adults living in retirement villages and the community. Australia's ageing population will have substantial economic and social ramifications. This study will contribute knowledge to the development and application of environmental and housing policies designed to promote health and public health and clinical interventions intended to combat the major contributors to disease and disability in older populations. Knowled ....Is retirement village living good for health: Comparing the health of older adults living in retirement villages and the community. Australia's ageing population will have substantial economic and social ramifications. This study will contribute knowledge to the development and application of environmental and housing policies designed to promote health and public health and clinical interventions intended to combat the major contributors to disease and disability in older populations. Knowledge of factors that improve health and promote mobility, independence, social interaction and life satisfaction will also assist planning future age-congregated living environments. The research falls within national priority goals including ageing well, ageing productively, preventative healthcare, and strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
Ageing Baby Boomers in Australia (ABBA): Informing Actions For Better Retirement. The research will improve understanding of baby boomers & inform action to achieve positive outcomes individually & for an ageing Australia. It will: 1)inform baby boomers of ways in which their actions in late middle age can increase the chance of having satisfying healthy lives in retirement; 2)inform employers & governments on key factors enabling people to work longer; 3)challenge stereotypes of baby boomers b ....Ageing Baby Boomers in Australia (ABBA): Informing Actions For Better Retirement. The research will improve understanding of baby boomers & inform action to achieve positive outcomes individually & for an ageing Australia. It will: 1)inform baby boomers of ways in which their actions in late middle age can increase the chance of having satisfying healthy lives in retirement; 2)inform employers & governments on key factors enabling people to work longer; 3)challenge stereotypes of baby boomers by showing their variability over the life course & in retirement; 4)provide four researchers with knowledge & expertise in applied, multi-disciplinary research on individual & population ageing; 5)identify baby boomers' expectations for themselves, governments, & the community to guide directions for Australia's response to ageing.Read moreRead less