The Kids in Communities Study: national investigation of community level effects on children's developmental outcomes. This project (a cross-disciplinary collaboration) will investigate community level factors influencing early childhood developmental outcomes using a mixed methods approach in up to 10 communities across Australia. This will result in a potential set of measures or indicators that reflect communities that are good for children.
Gambling and Pathways into Homelessness. Does gambling contribute to homelessness in Australia? What aspects of gambling are most likely to contribute to the incidence of homelessness and how does this relate to other dimensions of addictive behaviour? This project examines the role of gambling as a trigger of homelessness through direct means such as evictions and loss of employment, as well as indirect pathways such as serving as a contributing to the incidence of domestic violence and famil ....Gambling and Pathways into Homelessness. Does gambling contribute to homelessness in Australia? What aspects of gambling are most likely to contribute to the incidence of homelessness and how does this relate to other dimensions of addictive behaviour? This project examines the role of gambling as a trigger of homelessness through direct means such as evictions and loss of employment, as well as indirect pathways such as serving as a contributing to the incidence of domestic violence and family breakdown. The research will examine what types of intervention - at what points in the pathway into homelessness - are likely be most effective. The research will lead to better policies and the enhanced delivery of services to this vulnerable population.Read moreRead less
The Work, Housing, Services and Community Project. Australian cities are bursting at their seams. Major new housing developments are being undertaken to meet housing demand. These new developments sit alongside existing developments and raise issues about socio-spatial integration. New developments attempt to meet changing work, housing, services and community needs. This project examines how they are succeeding, how workers and residents see the relationship between work, home, services, and th ....The Work, Housing, Services and Community Project. Australian cities are bursting at their seams. Major new housing developments are being undertaken to meet housing demand. These new developments sit alongside existing developments and raise issues about socio-spatial integration. New developments attempt to meet changing work, housing, services and community needs. This project examines how they are succeeding, how workers and residents see the relationship between work, home, services, and the community they want to live amidst, and what kinds of spatial alignments they seek. The project will assist urban planners, workplaces, service providers and the developer community, potentially improving the well being of men, women and children.Read moreRead less
Reconceptualising partnership: new options for effective partnerships between State governments and the third sector in employment services in Australia. The rapid devolution of employment services from the Commonwealth Employment Service to a model of contracted Job Network agencies assumes effective partnerships between Commonwealth, State, third sector and private organizations. Recent research suggests this is not the case. Furthermore, the industry partner, SACOSS, argues that the disparate ....Reconceptualising partnership: new options for effective partnerships between State governments and the third sector in employment services in Australia. The rapid devolution of employment services from the Commonwealth Employment Service to a model of contracted Job Network agencies assumes effective partnerships between Commonwealth, State, third sector and private organizations. Recent research suggests this is not the case. Furthermore, the industry partner, SACOSS, argues that the disparate requirements of Australian States in addressing local circumstances and diverse needs of disadvantaged jobseekers have not been met. This collaborative project will use network analysis methodology to assess alternative models of governance and identify best options for effective State/third sector partnerships that promote efficient and equitable labour markets.Read moreRead less
New Information and Communication Technologies and The Elderly: Practice, Problems and Potential. Recent government reports (Costello 2002; 2004; Productivity Commission, Australian Government 2005) indicate that demographic ageing which will see a doubling of the aged population both numerically and as a proportion of the total population in the next quarter century presents a substantial challenge to Australia. One element of that challenge is to maintain and enhance the wellbeing of older Au ....New Information and Communication Technologies and The Elderly: Practice, Problems and Potential. Recent government reports (Costello 2002; 2004; Productivity Commission, Australian Government 2005) indicate that demographic ageing which will see a doubling of the aged population both numerically and as a proportion of the total population in the next quarter century presents a substantial challenge to Australia. One element of that challenge is to maintain and enhance the wellbeing of older Australians while controlling the costs of providing them with support services. New developments in ICT have the potential to facilitate achieving these twin goals but little is known of the take up of ICT among older Australians and those who will enter the older ages over the next three decades.Read moreRead less
A spatially sensitive approach to understanding the impact of public expenditure on social exclusion. This project seeks to assess the effectiveness of public expenditure in reducing social exclusion. It aims to develop innovative new forms of quantitative modelling using geographical information systems (GIS) to interrogate of the impact of government expenditure on social outcomes. The project will benchmark and measure the impact of public expenditure on social exclusion in the region of Nort ....A spatially sensitive approach to understanding the impact of public expenditure on social exclusion. This project seeks to assess the effectiveness of public expenditure in reducing social exclusion. It aims to develop innovative new forms of quantitative modelling using geographical information systems (GIS) to interrogate of the impact of government expenditure on social outcomes. The project will benchmark and measure the impact of public expenditure on social exclusion in the region of Northern Adelaide. The project will seek to develop new GIS technologies that for the first time will enable policy makers to allocate resources according to directly measurable needs and to evaluate the effectiveness of resource allocation in a small area.Read moreRead less
Social Capital, Natural Resources and Local Governance in Indonesia. Australia's relationship with Indonesia is critical to our political and environmental security. This proposed research addresses the need for more effective development assistance policy, and will broaden public understanding of Indonesia's urgent social and environmental issues. International collaboration among an experienced team of field researchers, working with government agencies and NGOs, will enhance the capacity of I ....Social Capital, Natural Resources and Local Governance in Indonesia. Australia's relationship with Indonesia is critical to our political and environmental security. This proposed research addresses the need for more effective development assistance policy, and will broaden public understanding of Indonesia's urgent social and environmental issues. International collaboration among an experienced team of field researchers, working with government agencies and NGOs, will enhance the capacity of Indonesian communities to achieve more sustainable and equitable outcomes, contributing to regional security. Social capital questions concerning local capacity building and public engagement in decision-making also have comparative importance for the role of civil society and NGOs in Australian public policy.Read moreRead less
Managing risk in community services. A preliminary study of the impacts of risk management on Victorian services and clients. Most older people and those with a disability or a mental illness now live in the community. They receive help from a vast range of community services, which are also expected to keep them safe, and their workers and the wider community safe. Risk management is now an important part of the work of all services and businesses involved in community care. This project will s ....Managing risk in community services. A preliminary study of the impacts of risk management on Victorian services and clients. Most older people and those with a disability or a mental illness now live in the community. They receive help from a vast range of community services, which are also expected to keep them safe, and their workers and the wider community safe. Risk management is now an important part of the work of all services and businesses involved in community care. This project will study the unforeseen impacts and costs of the new risk management, identify the problems, and explore the ways risk management can achieve its goals without reducing services and limiting the lives of the clients.Read moreRead less
Work/Life Balance, Well-Being and Health: Theory, Practice and Policy. This project links to the national research priority of promoting and maintaining good health in two ways. It establishes a new annual national measure of work/life balance, a critical element of good health and well-being, assisting understanding about work/life conflict and informing workplace and government policy responses to it, strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric. Deep study of work/life issues in the h ....Work/Life Balance, Well-Being and Health: Theory, Practice and Policy. This project links to the national research priority of promoting and maintaining good health in two ways. It establishes a new annual national measure of work/life balance, a critical element of good health and well-being, assisting understanding about work/life conflict and informing workplace and government policy responses to it, strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric. Deep study of work/life issues in the health sector will also inform recruitment, retention and well-being in the health workforce, with flow-on to the health system more broadly. The project includes analysis of 'pre-retirement' work/life issues, also linking to the 'ageing well, ageing productively' priority. Read moreRead less
Young people's understandings of the relation between work, the labour market and education: Their origins and effects. Young people's pathways between school and work have become much more diverse and complex than in the past. Yet the impact of family background on their education and employment outcomes has hardly changed. This project focuses on young people's perceptions of the relation between work, education and the labour market and the pathways open to them. Taking account of recent m ....Young people's understandings of the relation between work, the labour market and education: Their origins and effects. Young people's pathways between school and work have become much more diverse and complex than in the past. Yet the impact of family background on their education and employment outcomes has hardly changed. This project focuses on young people's perceptions of the relation between work, education and the labour market and the pathways open to them. Taking account of recent major changes in the youth labour market, the research aims to understand the role of these perceptions in shaping young people's choices and pathways, how these vary according to social background and experience, and how they affect employment outcomes.Read moreRead less