Sustainable development of Aboriginal-owned small to medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) in the Bundjalung Nation. This project will identify the factors that facilitate the sustainable development of Aboriginal owned small to medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) in the Bundjalung Nation. Barriers preventing the sustainability of businesses will also be identified. There currently is a paucity of data and, therefore a poor level of knowledge, about the factors that contribute to the successful oper ....Sustainable development of Aboriginal-owned small to medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) in the Bundjalung Nation. This project will identify the factors that facilitate the sustainable development of Aboriginal owned small to medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) in the Bundjalung Nation. Barriers preventing the sustainability of businesses will also be identified. There currently is a paucity of data and, therefore a poor level of knowledge, about the factors that contribute to the successful operations of SMTEs. Consequently, there has been a high failure rate of Aboriginal tourism enterprises. This project will help overcome the failure rates amongst Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal SMTEs by increasing the expertise available to Aboriginal SMTEs.Read moreRead less
Unequal futures: A critical investigation of regional and sociocultural variations in teenage pregnancy. The overarching aim of this project is to investigate geographical and sociocultural variations in teenage pregnancy in Australia, encompassing the over-representation of young Indigenous teenage mothers. It considers the implications of these differences for government policy.
The project aims to:
- define the parameters of teenage pregnancy
- map the complex social context in whic ....Unequal futures: A critical investigation of regional and sociocultural variations in teenage pregnancy. The overarching aim of this project is to investigate geographical and sociocultural variations in teenage pregnancy in Australia, encompassing the over-representation of young Indigenous teenage mothers. It considers the implications of these differences for government policy.
The project aims to:
- define the parameters of teenage pregnancy
- map the complex social context in which to understand teenage pregnancy
- identify the information, support, and services most likely to ensure that young women have options for pregnancy and motherhood which maximise their health and wellbeing
- identify factors which account for unintentional teenage pregnancy and strategies for prevention or amelioration.
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Public-Private-Partnership Governance and Performance: An Empirical Assessment. While Australia's rural and regional communities require improved infrastructure services at reduced costs and higher quality; infrastructure costs are significant and governments' funds are insufficient to meet demand. Public-private-partnerships (PPPs), if they work successfully, can be the key to meet this demand. As PPPs reduce the financial investment that governments need to make, the greater the opportunity fo ....Public-Private-Partnership Governance and Performance: An Empirical Assessment. While Australia's rural and regional communities require improved infrastructure services at reduced costs and higher quality; infrastructure costs are significant and governments' funds are insufficient to meet demand. Public-private-partnerships (PPPs), if they work successfully, can be the key to meet this demand. As PPPs reduce the financial investment that governments need to make, the greater the opportunity for considered infrastructure development, if the PPPs are successful and meet their intended financial and social objectives. Thus, a better understanding of the performance outcomes of different governance mechanisms in PPPs can result in less expensive and better infrastructure services for Australia's communities.Read moreRead less
Improving the life chances of young disabled Australians. This project will determine the social and economic impact of disability on young people and identify why some young people experience more negative outcomes. The outcome will be a model of the impact of disability which can be used to guide and monitor progress towards Australia's social inclusion agenda for people with disabilities. A substantial benefit will be growth in Australia's capacity in disability disadvantage research.
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
The role of community connectedness in retaining skilled migrant women in Australia. Australia faces a severe skills shortage in areas central to its social fabric and that are traditionally dominated by women: nursing, childcare and teaching. While we are successful in attracting skilled migrants to fill these gaps, one third choose to leave Australia within 5 years. This is a very unfavourable outcome in view of the continuing skills shortage and the unrecoverable costs associated with attract ....The role of community connectedness in retaining skilled migrant women in Australia. Australia faces a severe skills shortage in areas central to its social fabric and that are traditionally dominated by women: nursing, childcare and teaching. While we are successful in attracting skilled migrants to fill these gaps, one third choose to leave Australia within 5 years. This is a very unfavourable outcome in view of the continuing skills shortage and the unrecoverable costs associated with attracting skilled migrants. The project will gain insight into factors that influence the retention rates of skilled female migrants and, in doing so, enable government agencies to develop targeted retention measures.Read moreRead less
Bridging worlds, linking cultures: an electronic planning tool for the Western Sydney region. This project aims to address, theoretically and practically, goals and demands for cultural planning in the information age. It will develop principles and procedures for using the immense power of digital resources within a framework that is aware of the richness and diversity of societies, communities and cultures, integrating subjective and objective data holistically into local government planning p ....Bridging worlds, linking cultures: an electronic planning tool for the Western Sydney region. This project aims to address, theoretically and practically, goals and demands for cultural planning in the information age. It will develop principles and procedures for using the immense power of digital resources within a framework that is aware of the richness and diversity of societies, communities and cultures, integrating subjective and objective data holistically into local government planning processes. It will use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) digital infrastructure to develop new information architecture, new interface designs and new strategies to interrogate and use available databases and information systems relevant to regional strategic cultural planning in Greater Western Sydney.Read moreRead less
The Costs of Foster Care in Australia. The aim of the study is to determine adequate and appropriate levels of reimbursement for carers by undertaking empirical research on the economic and social costs associated with fostering. For the first time in Australia the indirect costs to carers will be examined and a model developed for reimbursing foster carers similar to other paid carers in the community. In collaboration with the Industry Partner it will explore the feasibility of using budget st ....The Costs of Foster Care in Australia. The aim of the study is to determine adequate and appropriate levels of reimbursement for carers by undertaking empirical research on the economic and social costs associated with fostering. For the first time in Australia the indirect costs to carers will be examined and a model developed for reimbursing foster carers similar to other paid carers in the community. In collaboration with the Industry Partner it will explore the feasibility of using budget standards methodology to estimate the direct costs of care of children by refining and adapting budgets to reflect costs specific to different types of foster care.Read moreRead less
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.
Is retirement village living good for health: Comparing the health of older adults living in retirement villages and the community. Australia's ageing population will have substantial economic and social ramifications. This study will contribute knowledge to the development and application of environmental and housing policies designed to promote health and public health and clinical interventions intended to combat the major contributors to disease and disability in older populations. Knowled ....Is retirement village living good for health: Comparing the health of older adults living in retirement villages and the community. Australia's ageing population will have substantial economic and social ramifications. This study will contribute knowledge to the development and application of environmental and housing policies designed to promote health and public health and clinical interventions intended to combat the major contributors to disease and disability in older populations. Knowledge of factors that improve health and promote mobility, independence, social interaction and life satisfaction will also assist planning future age-congregated living environments. The research falls within national priority goals including ageing well, ageing productively, preventative healthcare, and strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less