Community spirit, social transformation, sustainable partnership: community capacity building for community transformations. This partnership is at the forefront of developments in the provision of community services. The project will contribute to a growing international field of research focused on developing integrated frameworks for measuring community wellbeing. The community capacity building approach will serve as a best practice model for other Australian municipalities. The indicators a ....Community spirit, social transformation, sustainable partnership: community capacity building for community transformations. This partnership is at the forefront of developments in the provision of community services. The project will contribute to a growing international field of research focused on developing integrated frameworks for measuring community wellbeing. The community capacity building approach will serve as a best practice model for other Australian municipalities. The indicators are a tool for engaging communities in making informal decisions and developing shared goals; a policy tool for evidence based planning; and a reporting tool to track and communicate progress towards agreed goals and outcomes. The outcomes will be efficient use of available funding for community services and lower cost of provision of social welfare.Read moreRead less
Working from the Ground Up: A Participatory Approach to Community Regeneration in Public Housing Neighbourhoods. This research will discover approaches, strategies and interventions that contribute to sustainable changes in public housing estates. It will trial interventions and develop quantitative tools. The outcomes of the project will include stronger, more cohesive communities, opportunities for residents to actively participate in their communities, and the development of services through ....Working from the Ground Up: A Participatory Approach to Community Regeneration in Public Housing Neighbourhoods. This research will discover approaches, strategies and interventions that contribute to sustainable changes in public housing estates. It will trial interventions and develop quantitative tools. The outcomes of the project will include stronger, more cohesive communities, opportunities for residents to actively participate in their communities, and the development of services through partnerships between the communities and relevant government, non government and private organizations. This will enhance health and wellbeing and increase education and training opportunities for residents. Read moreRead less
Communities, trust, governance and partnerships: The role of Local Government in community management and development in areas of social disadvantage. This project is significant as much contemporary social policy is predicated on normative assumptions of 'community' 'trust' 'collective efficacy' 'social capital', which are contested, contextual concepts. Importantly there are differences in meaning and practice of 'community' between areas of advantage and disadvantage. In being based on thes ....Communities, trust, governance and partnerships: The role of Local Government in community management and development in areas of social disadvantage. This project is significant as much contemporary social policy is predicated on normative assumptions of 'community' 'trust' 'collective efficacy' 'social capital', which are contested, contextual concepts. Importantly there are differences in meaning and practice of 'community' between areas of advantage and disadvantage. In being based on these assumptions policy implementation, which increasingly relies on community capacity, infrastructure and human resources, may have the unintended outcome of exacerbating disadvantage. This project examines these contested concepts and explores Local Government's role in creating local partnership options and modes of governance to facilitate equitable outcomes for disadvantaged communitiesRead moreRead less
150 low income Australians: a group biography over time. This project has significant potential to contribute social and economic benefits. In 2004-5, the Commonwealth is to spend some $20 billion on these income support programs, which are received by over 2 million citizens. There is significant national and international policy focus on welfare-to-work measures. Major changes in Australia for PPS and DSP recipients are to be implemented from mid-2006, and the project will enable us to better ....150 low income Australians: a group biography over time. This project has significant potential to contribute social and economic benefits. In 2004-5, the Commonwealth is to spend some $20 billion on these income support programs, which are received by over 2 million citizens. There is significant national and international policy focus on welfare-to-work measures. Major changes in Australia for PPS and DSP recipients are to be implemented from mid-2006, and the project will enable us to better understand how these changes are experienced. This most recent package of measures is also linked to policy concerns about expanding the workforce as the population ages. The project findings will contribute substantially to the priority goal of strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
A knowledge base to model the relationship between individual's lives and their communities. This research will 1) model the impact of ?communities? on residents' lives, and study the inter-relationships between community assets and structure, the life-situations of residents, collective and individual well-being; and, 2) study the relationship between people's levels of social connectedness and community affiliation on community functioning. The information generated will inform public policy i ....A knowledge base to model the relationship between individual's lives and their communities. This research will 1) model the impact of ?communities? on residents' lives, and study the inter-relationships between community assets and structure, the life-situations of residents, collective and individual well-being; and, 2) study the relationship between people's levels of social connectedness and community affiliation on community functioning. The information generated will inform public policy initiatives that aim to strengthen communities and contributes to the need for more in-depth empirical work in the area of community and individual development. This innovative project will integrate data from a wide range of sources and makes it accessible through state of the art technology. Read moreRead less
DETERMINANTS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN CITIES: The South East Queensland Urban Region in Comparative Perspective. This is the Australian component of an international project on quality of life (QOL) in cities. It examines people's perceived QOL and relates this to objective indicators such as employment levels and neighbourhood safety. We examine the South East Queensland urban region; our collaborators focus on Detroit (USA) and Belo Horizonte (Brazil). Our research tests the recent propositio ....DETERMINANTS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN CITIES: The South East Queensland Urban Region in Comparative Perspective. This is the Australian component of an international project on quality of life (QOL) in cities. It examines people's perceived QOL and relates this to objective indicators such as employment levels and neighbourhood safety. We examine the South East Queensland urban region; our collaborators focus on Detroit (USA) and Belo Horizonte (Brazil). Our research tests the recent proposition that QOL is the key element in the rise of the new economy characterised by increasing emphasis on consumption and expansion of the services sector. Understanding the relationship between QOL and the new economy is vital for future urban planning.Read moreRead less
The other welfare state: the non-government welfare sector in Victoria, 1945 - 1995. This project investigates the history and development of the non-government welfare sector in Victoria in the half-century following 1945. Through archival research and oral histories, the project consists of case studies of four key faith-based agencies, as a lens through which to examine how the sector has related to governments and how it has imagined its purposes and its 'clients'. Little attention has been ....The other welfare state: the non-government welfare sector in Victoria, 1945 - 1995. This project investigates the history and development of the non-government welfare sector in Victoria in the half-century following 1945. Through archival research and oral histories, the project consists of case studies of four key faith-based agencies, as a lens through which to examine how the sector has related to governments and how it has imagined its purposes and its 'clients'. Little attention has been given to the post-war history of this sector in Australia, but its escalating role today in service delivery is reflected in an international literature on the changing role of non-government organisations within modern welfare regimes.Read moreRead less
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
Social Capital and Sustainable Development: An International Study. A collaborative international study of social capital and sustainability in local communities will address the following objectives: 1. to characterize the properties of networks that generate social capital and of network formation; and 2. to analyze the mechanisms by which social capital contributes to sustainable development. The project will involve intensive comparative case studies of five communities, three in Canada and ....Social Capital and Sustainable Development: An International Study. A collaborative international study of social capital and sustainability in local communities will address the following objectives: 1. to characterize the properties of networks that generate social capital and of network formation; and 2. to analyze the mechanisms by which social capital contributes to sustainable development. The project will involve intensive comparative case studies of five communities, three in Canada and two in Australia. Within each case community, an intensive qualitative and quantitative analysis will be conducted of the theorized mechanisms for the development of social capital and its mobilization for reconciliation of the ecological, economic and social imperatives required for sustainable development.
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Maximising the contribution of NGOs in a new planning framework for community services provision. This interdisciplinary study will investigate how the contribution of NGOs in a new planning framework for community services can be maximised. This is important as the Friedman Results Accountability Planning Framework is being adopted in NSW for whole-of-government, cross-sector, regionalised planning. Using participatory action research, this first Australian study will test and develop the frame ....Maximising the contribution of NGOs in a new planning framework for community services provision. This interdisciplinary study will investigate how the contribution of NGOs in a new planning framework for community services can be maximised. This is important as the Friedman Results Accountability Planning Framework is being adopted in NSW for whole-of-government, cross-sector, regionalised planning. Using participatory action research, this first Australian study will test and develop the framework's capability to bring forward, value and fully utilise the knowledge of diverse communities and organisations. The research will open up possibilities not only for streamlining and delivering better human services but also for developing social capital with strong applications for social policy and local government.Read moreRead less