Changing schools in changing times: Stabilising and sustaining whole school change in schools serving low-income communties. This project addresses an enduring issue in educational research: how to achieve whole school change (WSC) to support improved student learning in communities experiencing significant social dislocation, educational disadvantage and student disengagement from learning. It tackles the industry partner's policy commitment to delivering substantive equity outcomes by research ....Changing schools in changing times: Stabilising and sustaining whole school change in schools serving low-income communties. This project addresses an enduring issue in educational research: how to achieve whole school change (WSC) to support improved student learning in communities experiencing significant social dislocation, educational disadvantage and student disengagement from learning. It tackles the industry partner's policy commitment to delivering substantive equity outcomes by researching a sustainable approach to WSC. We will work collaboratively with four schools to utilise a new technology of WSC that conceptualises the work of classroom teachers and school administrators as primarily pedagogical in nature. The findings will provide theoretical and practical insights on effective schooling in low income communities throughout Australia.Read moreRead less
Employment literacy:young people, job readiness and employability in Western Australia. This research will construct a model of employment literacy - a novel concept moving beyond notions of employability and social literacy - by developing a critical understanding of the personal and social characteristics that comprise a job ready young person among the clients of a range of employment services in Western Australia. Job readiness and employability are widely used to describe the desired outcom ....Employment literacy:young people, job readiness and employability in Western Australia. This research will construct a model of employment literacy - a novel concept moving beyond notions of employability and social literacy - by developing a critical understanding of the personal and social characteristics that comprise a job ready young person among the clients of a range of employment services in Western Australia. Job readiness and employability are widely used to describe the desired outcomes of employment programs, but are inadequately defined and measured. A model of employment literacy will enhance the academic literature and provide assistance to young people and organisations seeking to integrate employability skills into training and employment programs.Read moreRead less
A model to investigate the relationships between social capital, social inclusion and industrial development. This study will develop a new model for investigating the relationships between social capital, social inclusion and industry development in a designated area under the Commonwealth Government Initiative in Regional Australia. The project will address whether high levels of social capital reduce social exclusion and the likely impacts of the ?dark side? of social capital upon communiti ....A model to investigate the relationships between social capital, social inclusion and industrial development. This study will develop a new model for investigating the relationships between social capital, social inclusion and industry development in a designated area under the Commonwealth Government Initiative in Regional Australia. The project will address whether high levels of social capital reduce social exclusion and the likely impacts of the ?dark side? of social capital upon communities. The study will draw on relevant contemporary theory, survey analysis, interviews and discussion forums to develop new explanations that will help build community capacities and inform the development of social policy, employment and industrial development.Read moreRead less
Families on the Edge: Lived Experiences of Citizenship of Homeless Families. Families on the Edge will provide an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of homeless families, comprising predominantly women and children, who are one of the most marginalised and under-researched groups in Australian society. The findings will enable governments and not-for-profit agencies to improve services for homeless families to improve their health and well being. They will also inform policy debates ....Families on the Edge: Lived Experiences of Citizenship of Homeless Families. Families on the Edge will provide an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of homeless families, comprising predominantly women and children, who are one of the most marginalised and under-researched groups in Australian society. The findings will enable governments and not-for-profit agencies to improve services for homeless families to improve their health and well being. They will also inform policy debates about other approaches which draw on human rights and the rights/responsibilities of citizenship. The projects findings will provide a sound framework and empirical basis for improvements to legislation, policy and practice across a range of areas.Read moreRead less
Measuring and enhancing community capacity in outback NSW: the case of Broken Hill. The project will elucidate the necessary conditions for rural renewal through intensive analysis of social capital formation and mobilisation in one outback community in NSW. This entails a multidimensional analysis of social capital at the micro and macro levels in Broken Hill, in relation to cross-sector collaboration, interaction with economic, human and ecological factors, the role of community organisations ....Measuring and enhancing community capacity in outback NSW: the case of Broken Hill. The project will elucidate the necessary conditions for rural renewal through intensive analysis of social capital formation and mobilisation in one outback community in NSW. This entails a multidimensional analysis of social capital at the micro and macro levels in Broken Hill, in relation to cross-sector collaboration, interaction with economic, human and ecological factors, the role of community organisations and the social entrepreneur. The project directly addresses the widely acknowledged need to find effective pathways for sustainability of rural communities. The project will produce practical recommendations to policy makers and the community, and will contribute to social capital theory.Read moreRead less
Growing Old in a Rapidly Changing World: Living Conditions and Inequalities Amongst the Aged in China. China is set to dominate the world stage in the current millennium and ageing will present challenges to all nations. This research will benefit understanding of these issues by enriching our understanding of how older people in China cope with rapid change by documenting the factors that produce improved living conditions, including strong family and community relations. A component of the res ....Growing Old in a Rapidly Changing World: Living Conditions and Inequalities Amongst the Aged in China. China is set to dominate the world stage in the current millennium and ageing will present challenges to all nations. This research will benefit understanding of these issues by enriching our understanding of how older people in China cope with rapid change by documenting the factors that produce improved living conditions, including strong family and community relations. A component of the research will draw comparisons with Australia in order to increase the relevance of the study which will build ageing research capacity in both China and Australia.Read moreRead less
Building connections: schools as community hubs. This project aims to support school systems and planning authorities enhance engagement between schools and local communities. The key objective is to advance the cost-effective development of the infrastructure required to deliver community programs and services from school sites, in addition to education programs for school-aged students. The project expects to generate new knowledge about how best to plan, design, govern and manage facilities a ....Building connections: schools as community hubs. This project aims to support school systems and planning authorities enhance engagement between schools and local communities. The key objective is to advance the cost-effective development of the infrastructure required to deliver community programs and services from school sites, in addition to education programs for school-aged students. The project expects to generate new knowledge about how best to plan, design, govern and manage facilities and infrastructure to enable schools to operate successfully as more than a school, encouraging the development of resilient and connected communities. The outcomes are expected to include a development framework for maximising schools as community hubs.Read moreRead less
Mobile Me: Young People, Sociality and the Mobile Phone. The project tests and reinforces child-centred, participatory research practices and outcomes. It underlines the NSW Commission for Children and Young People's commitment to investigating contemporary problems and opportunities for young people, and to formulating appropriate policy responses. The project is designed to elicit and interpret young people's and pre-teen's views on their communicative environment, and to understand the mechan ....Mobile Me: Young People, Sociality and the Mobile Phone. The project tests and reinforces child-centred, participatory research practices and outcomes. It underlines the NSW Commission for Children and Young People's commitment to investigating contemporary problems and opportunities for young people, and to formulating appropriate policy responses. The project is designed to elicit and interpret young people's and pre-teen's views on their communicative environment, and to understand the mechanisms through which social relationships, information conduits, and knowledge networks are built and sustained. The dissemination of the findings will bring young people, educationalists and industry players into a productive dialogue on the benefits and dangers of this pervasive technology.Read moreRead less
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
Learning catalysts: improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged children. This project will identify what works to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged young people. In so doing, this project will contribute to Australia's prosperity and social well-being, and help address problems such as unemployment and homelessness, that arise when a large proportion of young Australians is denied an effective education.