Understanding low skilled men's access to jobs: An occupational case-study approach. The withdrawal of low skilled men from the labour force has been substantial over recent decades. As many as 40% of men without post-school qualifications do not have full-time jobs. This development has many negative social consequences. It damages the affected men's wellbeing, and that of their families. It reduces labour supply at a time of labour shortages. It increases dependency on the welfare system. ....Understanding low skilled men's access to jobs: An occupational case-study approach. The withdrawal of low skilled men from the labour force has been substantial over recent decades. As many as 40% of men without post-school qualifications do not have full-time jobs. This development has many negative social consequences. It damages the affected men's wellbeing, and that of their families. It reduces labour supply at a time of labour shortages. It increases dependency on the welfare system. This project will develop new understandings of the barriers low skill men face when they seek jobs in areas of rising employment, such as the service sector. It will provide an assessment of the possibilities of overcoming these barriers, and develop ideas about how best to enhance low skilled men's access to good jobs. Read moreRead less
Work, life and sustainable living: how work, household and community life interact to affect environmental behaviours and outcomes. The project addresses the research priority of an environmentally sustainable Australia. It examines how the circumstances and interaction of work, home and community affect capacities to reduce negative environmental impacts especially workplace and household transport, waste, energy and water use practices. The project brings the changing configuration of work to ....Work, life and sustainable living: how work, household and community life interact to affect environmental behaviours and outcomes. The project addresses the research priority of an environmentally sustainable Australia. It examines how the circumstances and interaction of work, home and community affect capacities to reduce negative environmental impacts especially workplace and household transport, waste, energy and water use practices. The project brings the changing configuration of work to the fore, addressing a gap in current research. It examines the implications for environmental change of the temporal and spatial organisation of 'work-life', including analysis of socio-economic and gender differences, informing practice and theory about how workers, workplaces and households can change for the better, in the interests of a sustainable, socially inclusive society.Read moreRead less
Managing at the Margins: Women Making it Work in Precarious Times. This project aims to investigate the economic, social and emotional impacts of precarious work on women. Focusing on the challenges that arise from juggling precarious work with care responsibilities and/or demands from the social support system, the project identifies the strategies women have to manage these demands, and the impacts these demands have on everyday lives across different life stages. By combining otherwise separa ....Managing at the Margins: Women Making it Work in Precarious Times. This project aims to investigate the economic, social and emotional impacts of precarious work on women. Focusing on the challenges that arise from juggling precarious work with care responsibilities and/or demands from the social support system, the project identifies the strategies women have to manage these demands, and the impacts these demands have on everyday lives across different life stages. By combining otherwise separate bodies of literature with innovative quantitative and qualitative data, the project seeks to generate new knowledge about the impacts of precarious work on women and families. This knowledge is expected to inform policies and services to improve women’s lives and promote economic inclusion and social cohesion.Read moreRead less
Social inclusion through community embedded, socially supported university education. Through the collaboration of community agencies and tertiary institutions this research project identifies key impacts of community embedded socially supported higher education upon enhancing the social inclusion of disadvantaged Australians. It identifies the educational and social support factors which contribute to the effectiveness of this strategy and the cost and benefits of this innovative educational pa ....Social inclusion through community embedded, socially supported university education. Through the collaboration of community agencies and tertiary institutions this research project identifies key impacts of community embedded socially supported higher education upon enhancing the social inclusion of disadvantaged Australians. It identifies the educational and social support factors which contribute to the effectiveness of this strategy and the cost and benefits of this innovative educational pathway to social inclusion for governments and the community. Read moreRead less
Home-based Businesses: Belief systems and practice and their implications for policy and development practice. The home-based business sector has been calculated to represent 67% of the small business sector in Australia. There is a conservative estimate that at least one in ten homes in Australia now hosts a home-based business. Under Governments of all political persuasions, growth of small business is seen as important to the growth of the economy. However there is a fragmented policy context ....Home-based Businesses: Belief systems and practice and their implications for policy and development practice. The home-based business sector has been calculated to represent 67% of the small business sector in Australia. There is a conservative estimate that at least one in ten homes in Australia now hosts a home-based business. Under Governments of all political persuasions, growth of small business is seen as important to the growth of the economy. However there is a fragmented policy context of enterprise promotion and home-based business support. The findings of this study will contribute to integrated policy and development practice responses through greater understanding of the diversity of belief systems and practice within the sector.Read moreRead less
The Salmon Ponds and the Development of an Acclimatisation Culture and Landscape in the Derwent Valley, Tasmania. The Derwent Valley, Tasmania, is both an economically depressed rural area and one of the most special and richly endowed colonial landscapes. This project will assist in developing and restoring its status as a touring and angling landscape for tourists by researching and reconstructing its making through the acclimatisation network centred on its cultural and technical hub at Salm ....The Salmon Ponds and the Development of an Acclimatisation Culture and Landscape in the Derwent Valley, Tasmania. The Derwent Valley, Tasmania, is both an economically depressed rural area and one of the most special and richly endowed colonial landscapes. This project will assist in developing and restoring its status as a touring and angling landscape for tourists by researching and reconstructing its making through the acclimatisation network centred on its cultural and technical hub at Salmon Ponds, New Norfolk. The research will trace the social and technical networks that linked newly formed angling associations,landowners, technical and scientific expertise with commercial and political patronage. It will elaborate how these in turn produced both a unique landscape and a culturally embedded association with it.Read moreRead less
Breaking the cycle: the role of housing and support in resolving chronic homelessness. The Australian Government aims to reduce homelessness by half by 2020 and to offer supported accommodation to all rough sleepers by 2020. Chronically homeless people are often part of an impoverished underclass, largely excluded from the labour force and other mainstream institutions. This research will lead to improvements in service delivery and program designs and will link them to the wider areas of housi ....Breaking the cycle: the role of housing and support in resolving chronic homelessness. The Australian Government aims to reduce homelessness by half by 2020 and to offer supported accommodation to all rough sleepers by 2020. Chronically homeless people are often part of an impoverished underclass, largely excluded from the labour force and other mainstream institutions. This research will lead to improvements in service delivery and program designs and will link them to the wider areas of housing policy and social inclusion. The findings will directly contribute to the National Research Priority, promoting and maintaining good health and the priority goal strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
Alcohol and tobacco use among lesbian, bisexual and queer identifying women. This project aims to examine practices of alcohol and tobacco use among lesbian, bisexual and queer-identifying (LBQ) women, which are considerably higher compared to heterosexual women. By using an innovative, longitudinal qualitative approach, this project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the cultural and social forces that shape higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use among LBQ women, and to better underst ....Alcohol and tobacco use among lesbian, bisexual and queer identifying women. This project aims to examine practices of alcohol and tobacco use among lesbian, bisexual and queer-identifying (LBQ) women, which are considerably higher compared to heterosexual women. By using an innovative, longitudinal qualitative approach, this project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the cultural and social forces that shape higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use among LBQ women, and to better understand their impacts. It is anticipated that the project will enhance the capacity of health promotion and policy organisations to meet the alcohol management and smoking cessation needs of this population. Findings from this project should help to alleviate health and social inequalities experienced by LBQ women.
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The role of the internet in building social capital amongst homosexually active men: virtual communities in HIV prevention. Social capital comprises features of social organisation such as civic participation, norms of reciprocity and trust in others that facilitate cooperation for mutual benefit, including health and wellbeing. The proposed research focuses on the role of the internet in producing the networks that engender social inclusion and community connectedness. There is scepticism about ....The role of the internet in building social capital amongst homosexually active men: virtual communities in HIV prevention. Social capital comprises features of social organisation such as civic participation, norms of reciprocity and trust in others that facilitate cooperation for mutual benefit, including health and wellbeing. The proposed research focuses on the role of the internet in producing the networks that engender social inclusion and community connectedness. There is scepticism about whether the 'virtual community' of the Internet can build social capital. The study will explore the potential benefits as well as harms to those homosexually active men who use the internet to access health information, meet sexual partners and build friendships that affirm gay identity and community inclusion.Read moreRead less
Social sustainability in dairying communities impacted by the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. This project will address the social and community impacts of the Murray-Darling Basin proposed Plan in dairy communities identified as especially vulnerable. It will identify social supports that will build social sustainability, aid adaptation and foster individual and community resilience.