Changing modes: A study of the knowledge economy of human service research in Australia. Significant national benefits will accrue through this study of the human services knowledge economy. The creation of human services employing knowledge-based interventions will address the real needs of Australians in the current socio-political environment. In investigating how current systems of knowledge production contribute to the creation of relevant and effective human services, the research will ide ....Changing modes: A study of the knowledge economy of human service research in Australia. Significant national benefits will accrue through this study of the human services knowledge economy. The creation of human services employing knowledge-based interventions will address the real needs of Australians in the current socio-political environment. In investigating how current systems of knowledge production contribute to the creation of relevant and effective human services, the research will identify the restraints to innovation in human services and the structures in which knowledge production is articulated. In modelling an 'ideal-type' of knowledge transfer conducive to the development of socially accountable research, it will inform changes needed for effective human service delivery. Read moreRead less
The production, use and effect of social work research. This project aims to reform social work research to improve the quality and effectiveness of human services. The human services industry is vital to many people’s quality of life, but lacks innovation and struggles to demonstrate its effectiveness. Crucially for social work, research expands thinking about how to respond to social disadvantage. This project intends to examine the scope and quality of Australian social work research in child ....The production, use and effect of social work research. This project aims to reform social work research to improve the quality and effectiveness of human services. The human services industry is vital to many people’s quality of life, but lacks innovation and struggles to demonstrate its effectiveness. Crucially for social work, research expands thinking about how to respond to social disadvantage. This project intends to examine the scope and quality of Australian social work research in child protection, disability services, and aged care; assess the use of this research to the human services sector and its effect on generating innovation; and develop strategies to advance the production, uptake, and effect of social work research.Read moreRead less
The role of social identity complexity in the success of interethnic contact. Australians collectively represent more than 250 ethno-cultural, 400 linguistic, and 100 religious groups. Although contact with diverse individuals is becoming increasingly common in many facets of life (e.g., work, school, social gatherings), such encounters are often awkward and stressful, even for well-intentioned people. Negative interactions between diverse individuals can fuel tension and hostility between diver ....The role of social identity complexity in the success of interethnic contact. Australians collectively represent more than 250 ethno-cultural, 400 linguistic, and 100 religious groups. Although contact with diverse individuals is becoming increasingly common in many facets of life (e.g., work, school, social gatherings), such encounters are often awkward and stressful, even for well-intentioned people. Negative interactions between diverse individuals can fuel tension and hostility between diverse groups. The project will determine whether the processes and outcomes of interethnic interactions are influenced by the ways in which individuals understand their social groups. Insights into the factors that contribute to positive interethnic interactions will improve our ability to promote harmony in diverse societies.Read moreRead less
Paving the way for effective public health interventions for bulimic eating disorders: Understanding stigma and mental health literacy. This research contributes to promoting and maintaining good health. The burden of bulimic eating disorders in the community is high, frequently ignored and increasing. Our research will pave the way for improved understanding of eating disorders and a reduction of stigma in relation to these problems. In so doing, it will lead to reduced shame and suffering for ....Paving the way for effective public health interventions for bulimic eating disorders: Understanding stigma and mental health literacy. This research contributes to promoting and maintaining good health. The burden of bulimic eating disorders in the community is high, frequently ignored and increasing. Our research will pave the way for improved understanding of eating disorders and a reduction of stigma in relation to these problems. In so doing, it will lead to reduced shame and suffering for people with eating disorders and enhance appropriate treatment seeking and the quality of advice received from family, friends and health professionals. A public health intervention based on our findings will contribute to a more tolerant and understanding community.Read moreRead less
Leadership, social identity and the dynamics of influence in intergroup relations: A new understanding of social continuity and social change. Understanding how social change occurs (or continuity prevails) and the role of leadership in this process is paramount to any social system (e.g. nation, state, organization, team). This project provides a new social psychological understanding of leadership and social change dynamics, including when more radical leaders and social relations emerge, as w ....Leadership, social identity and the dynamics of influence in intergroup relations: A new understanding of social continuity and social change. Understanding how social change occurs (or continuity prevails) and the role of leadership in this process is paramount to any social system (e.g. nation, state, organization, team). This project provides a new social psychological understanding of leadership and social change dynamics, including when more radical leaders and social relations emerge, as well as how different groups become more united around a common cause. Given ethnic, religious, social and political diversity of Australian society, these questions are fundamental to strengthening Australia's social fabric. This research also has cross-disciplinary applications, builds international collaborations, and supports emerging Australian research talent.Read moreRead less
Early childhood sustained home visiting: outcomes at 4 years and the transition to school. The Commonwealth has been committed to developing a national agenda for early childhood, with a strong focus on development and use of Australian-relevant evidence, an outcomes focus, a focus on vulnerable communities, families and children, and strengths-based approaches. This agenda is also reflected in the key research priority areas of the Commonwealth Government. The proposed study is a critical next ....Early childhood sustained home visiting: outcomes at 4 years and the transition to school. The Commonwealth has been committed to developing a national agenda for early childhood, with a strong focus on development and use of Australian-relevant evidence, an outcomes focus, a focus on vulnerable communities, families and children, and strengths-based approaches. This agenda is also reflected in the key research priority areas of the Commonwealth Government. The proposed study is a critical next step in the development of an Australian evidence base for professional home visiting: a key strategy for the delivery of services to promote the health and development of young Australians. The findings of this study will have significant implications for the development of early childhood policy and strategy throughout Australia.Read moreRead less
Sampling Gay Men: Testing Methodological Alternatives in a Minority Population. This project will systematically assess the efficacy and appropriateness of five separate techniques for the recruitment of gay and homosexually active men in Australia. The project will use the data from the Australian Study of Health and Relationships to assess the representativeness of the samples obtained. Using theoretical considerations of the inter-relationship of identity, attraction and practice, the suitabi ....Sampling Gay Men: Testing Methodological Alternatives in a Minority Population. This project will systematically assess the efficacy and appropriateness of five separate techniques for the recruitment of gay and homosexually active men in Australia. The project will use the data from the Australian Study of Health and Relationships to assess the representativeness of the samples obtained. Using theoretical considerations of the inter-relationship of identity, attraction and practice, the suitability of recruitment strategies for research projects addressing key elements of gay men's health will be assessed. As a by-product of the sampling exercise, a description of the key health concerns of gay and homosexually active men will be developed. Read moreRead less
Strengthening food systems governance at the local level. This project aims to investigate the role of law, policy, and regulation in enabling local governments and communities to contribute to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems. The project will analyse policies and initiatives developed by local governments and communities in New South Wales and Victoria, including how law assists or prevents local-level action. The knowledge created by this project will inform recommendations fo ....Strengthening food systems governance at the local level. This project aims to investigate the role of law, policy, and regulation in enabling local governments and communities to contribute to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems. The project will analyse policies and initiatives developed by local governments and communities in New South Wales and Victoria, including how law assists or prevents local-level action. The knowledge created by this project will inform recommendations for policy and legislative reforms that will empower local governments and communities to respond to food system challenges.Read moreRead less
Breaking the cycle of intergenerational child maltreatment using 'big data'. This project aims to provide the first comprehensive investigation of inter-generational child maltreatment using over 50 years of linked data for a population cohort of children and their parents in New South Wales. The project will generate new knowledge about the prevalence and characteristics of families in which child maltreatment is initiated, maintained across generations, or in which the trauma cycle is broken, ....Breaking the cycle of intergenerational child maltreatment using 'big data'. This project aims to provide the first comprehensive investigation of inter-generational child maltreatment using over 50 years of linked data for a population cohort of children and their parents in New South Wales. The project will generate new knowledge about the prevalence and characteristics of families in which child maltreatment is initiated, maintained across generations, or in which the trauma cycle is broken, using innovative statistical techniques. Expected outcomes include new knowledge of the true prevalence of inter-generational family trauma that can only be known from combining inter-agency data, and enhanced capacity to identify cross-agency levers in an effort to break the cycle of inter-generational disadvantage.Read moreRead less
Closing the carbon cycle: an ecological understanding of wood decay. The project aims to understand the controls on the return of carbon to the atmosphere within forests, especially focusing on this problem from a microbial perspective. Microbial dynamics and wood decay are crucially important for the global carbon cycle. What the field is lacking is a trait-based ecology of wood decomposers. The project plans to examine the interactions among fungal and oomycete endophytes and decomposers throu ....Closing the carbon cycle: an ecological understanding of wood decay. The project aims to understand the controls on the return of carbon to the atmosphere within forests, especially focusing on this problem from a microbial perspective. Microbial dynamics and wood decay are crucially important for the global carbon cycle. What the field is lacking is a trait-based ecology of wood decomposers. The project plans to examine the interactions among fungal and oomycete endophytes and decomposers through a series of experiments. The expected outcome of this project is a clear understanding of the role of traits in wood decomposer communities, especially their influence on priority effects, competitive hierarchies, and the resultant wood decay rate.Read moreRead less