Increasing organisational capacity of community residential units to facilitate ageing in place for people with intellectual disability. Unique challenges face the disability, aged care and health sectors because of the increased life expectancy of people with life-long intellectual disability (ID) and the likelihood of their premature ageing. Although this group is recognised by Federal and State governments as requiring specific and special service arrangements, little is known about adapting ....Increasing organisational capacity of community residential units to facilitate ageing in place for people with intellectual disability. Unique challenges face the disability, aged care and health sectors because of the increased life expectancy of people with life-long intellectual disability (ID) and the likelihood of their premature ageing. Although this group is recognised by Federal and State governments as requiring specific and special service arrangements, little is known about adapting disability and aged care services to their needs. This research will inform the development of policy and programs in the disability, aged care, and health sectors. The research aims to improve the capacity of disability group homes to respond to the health and ageing issues of older people with ID,to improve their quality of life.Read moreRead less
Disability, Welfare and Work. The proposed project will offer significant insights into the experiences of people with a disability in the context of welfare-to-work policies. The project will be able to gauge the extent to which the significant amount of public funds invested in the new welfare-to-work measures is effective. In 2002/03 the Australian Government invested over 300 million dollars in Open Employment assistance. The applied research into conceptual questions such as the correct mod ....Disability, Welfare and Work. The proposed project will offer significant insights into the experiences of people with a disability in the context of welfare-to-work policies. The project will be able to gauge the extent to which the significant amount of public funds invested in the new welfare-to-work measures is effective. In 2002/03 the Australian Government invested over 300 million dollars in Open Employment assistance. The applied research into conceptual questions such as the correct model of disability, the relation of obligation to our understanding of citizenship and associated ethical issues will assist in maintaining Australia at the cutting edge of applied philosophical and sociological research.Read moreRead less
Enabling engagement and inclusion: organisational factors that embed active support in accommodation services for people with intellectual disability. The study will investigate the processes and structures necessary to ensure frontline staff deliver high quality support to people with intellectual disability, which enables them to engage in meaningful activity. This knowledge will inform disability service organisation processes and provide indicators of structures necessary for effective servi ....Enabling engagement and inclusion: organisational factors that embed active support in accommodation services for people with intellectual disability. The study will investigate the processes and structures necessary to ensure frontline staff deliver high quality support to people with intellectual disability, which enables them to engage in meaningful activity. This knowledge will inform disability service organisation processes and provide indicators of structures necessary for effective services.Read moreRead less
Improving employment outcomes for Australians with disability. This project aims to provide evidence about how to improve employment outcomes for people with disability. Nearly one in five adult Australians have a disability and just over half of these are in the labour force; a modest increase in employment rates will have significant social and economic benefits for people with disability and society. By collecting longitudinal quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interview) data at three ti ....Improving employment outcomes for Australians with disability. This project aims to provide evidence about how to improve employment outcomes for people with disability. Nearly one in five adult Australians have a disability and just over half of these are in the labour force; a modest increase in employment rates will have significant social and economic benefits for people with disability and society. By collecting longitudinal quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interview) data at three time points from over 1500 jobseekers with disability, critical information should be gained about how the characteristics of employment services, workplaces and jobseekers contribute to sustainable, meaningful employment for people with disability.Read moreRead less
Creating Age Friendly Communities. The project aims to explore ways in which Australian communities can enhance the social belonging of their older citizens. The study addresses significant questions at the heart of age care: how to ensure that older people are able to remain active members of their communities, without feeling isolated as they age. The research will take place in an inner city community which is multi generational, economically and culturally diverse. The main expected outcome ....Creating Age Friendly Communities. The project aims to explore ways in which Australian communities can enhance the social belonging of their older citizens. The study addresses significant questions at the heart of age care: how to ensure that older people are able to remain active members of their communities, without feeling isolated as they age. The research will take place in an inner city community which is multi generational, economically and culturally diverse. The main expected outcome is the development of age friendly practices at community level. The project embodies concepts central to the mission of the Industry partner, St Ives Aged Care Services.Read moreRead less
Young people with cognitive disability: relationships and paid support. This project aims to improve the rights and wellbeing of young people with cognitive disability by exploring their relationship and interaction with paid support workers. The introduction of national individualised funding and support is a watershed in Australian disability policy. Understanding the role that paid support plays in the ongoing identity development of these young people is urgently needed to realise national p ....Young people with cognitive disability: relationships and paid support. This project aims to improve the rights and wellbeing of young people with cognitive disability by exploring their relationship and interaction with paid support workers. The introduction of national individualised funding and support is a watershed in Australian disability policy. Understanding the role that paid support plays in the ongoing identity development of these young people is urgently needed to realise national policy aspirations for people with disability of rights, choice, inclusion and independence. Using social geography and recognition theory, the project expects to deliver new understanding and improved practice around how paid support relationships can foster mutual care, respect and value at a critically important time in young people’s lives.Read moreRead less
A Great and Crying Need: A History of Kew Residential Services, 1887-2007, through Innovative Textual, Oral, Aural and Experiential Media. This original history of Kew Residential Services (KRS), formerly known as Kew Cottages, will trace the lives of its residents from 1887, analysing the changing discourses, policies and practices for people with intellectual disability. It will analyse the history of Kew Residential Services in terms of a modern society's shifting response to difference. Th ....A Great and Crying Need: A History of Kew Residential Services, 1887-2007, through Innovative Textual, Oral, Aural and Experiential Media. This original history of Kew Residential Services (KRS), formerly known as Kew Cottages, will trace the lives of its residents from 1887, analysing the changing discourses, policies and practices for people with intellectual disability. It will analyse the history of Kew Residential Services in terms of a modern society's shifting response to difference. The Project is internationally innovative, researching with and for people with intellectual disability and giving voice to their experiences. It will produce an academic monograph and scholarly articles, a unique non-verbal representation of residents' experiences, an oral history, radio documentary and photographic research.Read moreRead less
Social Support Provided in China to Older People with Disabilities. The project contributes to understanding our region through the opportunity to demonstrate Australia's engagement with China, with which it is establishing strong links in social, economic and cultural interests. It contributes to national understanding of East Asian policies for older people with a disability, including partnership approaches to social support between government, non-government and communities. The project stre ....Social Support Provided in China to Older People with Disabilities. The project contributes to understanding our region through the opportunity to demonstrate Australia's engagement with China, with which it is establishing strong links in social, economic and cultural interests. It contributes to national understanding of East Asian policies for older people with a disability, including partnership approaches to social support between government, non-government and communities. The project strengthens connections between Australian researchers and policy officials, the China Research Centre on Ageing, and Chinese government organisations.Read moreRead less
Disability in rural Australia. In rural Australia 21.2 per cent of the population has a disability while in remote areas the number is 22.1 per cent yet rural disabled people are rarely heard in policy debates. This study, mapping the experiences of disabled people in non-metropolitan Australia is consequently of critical importance to government and disability advocacy groups.
Social disadvantage and economic recession: promoting inclusion and combating deprivation. The onset of recession in the wake of the global financial crisis has reawakened concern over inequality and exclusion. This project will feed directly into the government's new social inclusion agenda by providing a better understanding of the nature of social exclusion, its relation to location-specific and other dimensions of disadvantage, and the processes that trigger and sustain exclusion. A speciall ....Social disadvantage and economic recession: promoting inclusion and combating deprivation. The onset of recession in the wake of the global financial crisis has reawakened concern over inequality and exclusion. This project will feed directly into the government's new social inclusion agenda by providing a better understanding of the nature of social exclusion, its relation to location-specific and other dimensions of disadvantage, and the processes that trigger and sustain exclusion. A specially designed survey will be coordinated with other data collection activity to provide timely new information that will assist government and non-government agencies to promote social inclusion and tackle the root causes of disadvantage.Read moreRead less