Australian Volunteers Abroad in Communities in the Asia/Pacific Region. Each year over 300 Australian volunteers work abroad in communities in the Asia Pacific region. This project researches key questions about the role of volunteers in contributing to regional stability, community capacity building and poverty alleviation. The research also explores questions about the preparation and knowledge required for overseas volunteers working in local communities in the future. The project aims to ana ....Australian Volunteers Abroad in Communities in the Asia/Pacific Region. Each year over 300 Australian volunteers work abroad in communities in the Asia Pacific region. This project researches key questions about the role of volunteers in contributing to regional stability, community capacity building and poverty alleviation. The research also explores questions about the preparation and knowledge required for overseas volunteers working in local communities in the future. The project aims to analyse an important aspect of Australia's interaction with the Asia Pacific region; identify key features of volunteering from the perspective of volunteers, volunteer organisations, host communities and government; and develop up-to-date research material and procedures for preparing Australian volunteers.Read moreRead less
Development and evaluation of computer assisted survey technology as an adjunct to the professional consultation. The project aims to test the effectiveness of computer technology as an adjunct to the client-provider interaction in General Medical Practice. An innovative system for generating dietary assessment and advice will be developed, supporting both local software and multi media industries and providing data on population based interventions for prevalent lifestyle disease (obesity, diab ....Development and evaluation of computer assisted survey technology as an adjunct to the professional consultation. The project aims to test the effectiveness of computer technology as an adjunct to the client-provider interaction in General Medical Practice. An innovative system for generating dietary assessment and advice will be developed, supporting both local software and multi media industries and providing data on population based interventions for prevalent lifestyle disease (obesity, diabetes). The study involves developing the technology, evaluating its use in practice and researching the opinions of key stakeholders (consumers, GPs dietitians) on the position of this technology in the client-provider interaction.Read moreRead less
Standing up to racism and racial bullying among Australian school students. This project aims to substantially increase understandings of bystander responses (including their extent, nature, potential, merits, benefits, and constraints) as a means of countering racism and racial bullying among Australian school students. This aims to be achieved through examining experiences of, attitudes towards, and responses to, racism and racial bullying among school students; identifying health, wellbeing, ....Standing up to racism and racial bullying among Australian school students. This project aims to substantially increase understandings of bystander responses (including their extent, nature, potential, merits, benefits, and constraints) as a means of countering racism and racial bullying among Australian school students. This aims to be achieved through examining experiences of, attitudes towards, and responses to, racism and racial bullying among school students; identifying health, wellbeing, education and social outcomes of racism and racial bullying for individuals, schools and communities; exploring the enablers and obstacles associated with bystander responses to racism and racial bullying; and by developing and piloting a school-based program to foster bystander responses to racism and racial bullying.Read moreRead less
Tertiary education and social capital in Victoria: the effects of the new economy courses in Business and IT. Over one third of tertiary students are enrolled in the fast-growing new economy disciplines in business studies and IT. In partnership with the Victorian government, this project studies the contribution of business and IT courses to social capital, the collaborative networks that underpin economic innovation and sustainable community. The research will survey and interview Victorian 15 ....Tertiary education and social capital in Victoria: the effects of the new economy courses in Business and IT. Over one third of tertiary students are enrolled in the fast-growing new economy disciplines in business studies and IT. In partnership with the Victorian government, this project studies the contribution of business and IT courses to social capital, the collaborative networks that underpin economic innovation and sustainable community. The research will survey and interview Victorian 1500 graduates from 12 higher education and VET institutions (6 rural); and survey and interview employers and community leaders. The research will inform Victoria's education policy and Growing Victoria Together strategy, and encourage tertiary institutions throughout Australia to strengthen their contribution to social capital.Read moreRead less
Building sustainable social capital in new communities. Industry partners and investigators have identified the need for foundation knowledge about social capital and the development of new communities in Australia. The current environment is of increasing responsibility for property developers to account for their social responsibility/corporate citizenship, and manage increasing responsibility for developing communities which provide social, economic and cultural benefit to Australia's well-be ....Building sustainable social capital in new communities. Industry partners and investigators have identified the need for foundation knowledge about social capital and the development of new communities in Australia. The current environment is of increasing responsibility for property developers to account for their social responsibility/corporate citizenship, and manage increasing responsibility for developing communities which provide social, economic and cultural benefit to Australia's well-being. The study identifies the extent to which planning and strategic interventions in new communities contribute to, or detract from, social capital building. The results will be used to identify long term theoretical and practical strategies for strengthening and sustaining social capital in new communities.Read moreRead less
Sparking Imagination Education: Transforming inequality in schools. This project will produce an Imagination Education Pedagogical Framework for use by teachers in schools. Imagination is recognised as beneficial for diverse groups of young people who experience educational inequality. This collaboration will support access to prominent industry insights on methods for using imagination practices to enhance educational equity. Using co-design with AIME and Social Ventures Australia, it will inve ....Sparking Imagination Education: Transforming inequality in schools. This project will produce an Imagination Education Pedagogical Framework for use by teachers in schools. Imagination is recognised as beneficial for diverse groups of young people who experience educational inequality. This collaboration will support access to prominent industry insights on methods for using imagination practices to enhance educational equity. Using co-design with AIME and Social Ventures Australia, it will investigate how these insights can be translated to school contexts to enrich Australian schooling in an environment under intensifying external pressures. The outcomes of this project will support national education agendas for embedding twenty-first century skills of imagination in Australian schooling.Read moreRead less
Refugees employment aspirations and inter-generational communication about future occupational pathways. This project is the first to investigate the long-term employment aspirations of recently arrived refugees and how they communicate them to their children. Findings will inform policy and service delivery aimed at helping these people to achieve the potential they bring to Australia.
Digital energy futures: forecasting changing residential electricity demand. This project aims to understand and forecast changing digital lifestyle trends and their impact on future household electricity demand, including at peak times. The project expects to generate new knowledge by employing digital ethnography and sociological theories to investigate how changing social practices will impact on electricity sector planning. Expected outcomes include: scenarios and principles for digital ener ....Digital energy futures: forecasting changing residential electricity demand. This project aims to understand and forecast changing digital lifestyle trends and their impact on future household electricity demand, including at peak times. The project expects to generate new knowledge by employing digital ethnography and sociological theories to investigate how changing social practices will impact on electricity sector planning. Expected outcomes include: scenarios and principles for digital energy futures; an interdisciplinary energy demand forecasting methodology; and demand management tools to help the sector meet future residential consumption. This should provide significant benefits, such as lowering the cost of infrastructure spending, and helping secure affordable electricity provision.Read moreRead less
Work, life and sustainable living: how work, household and community life interact to affect environmental behaviours and outcomes. The project addresses the research priority of an environmentally sustainable Australia. It examines how the circumstances and interaction of work, home and community affect capacities to reduce negative environmental impacts especially workplace and household transport, waste, energy and water use practices. The project brings the changing configuration of work to ....Work, life and sustainable living: how work, household and community life interact to affect environmental behaviours and outcomes. The project addresses the research priority of an environmentally sustainable Australia. It examines how the circumstances and interaction of work, home and community affect capacities to reduce negative environmental impacts especially workplace and household transport, waste, energy and water use practices. The project brings the changing configuration of work to the fore, addressing a gap in current research. It examines the implications for environmental change of the temporal and spatial organisation of 'work-life', including analysis of socio-economic and gender differences, informing practice and theory about how workers, workplaces and households can change for the better, in the interests of a sustainable, socially inclusive society.Read moreRead less
Youth-led learning: local connections and global citizenship. Focussing on social connections across racial and religious boundaries, the project directly addresses two areas of immediate national concern: young peoples' wellbeing, and Australia's relationship with its neighbours. The project will generate a new model of sustainable partnership across NGOs and learning institutions to provide youth-led, global education programs for school-aged youth, promoting learning from a local basis about ....Youth-led learning: local connections and global citizenship. Focussing on social connections across racial and religious boundaries, the project directly addresses two areas of immediate national concern: young peoples' wellbeing, and Australia's relationship with its neighbours. The project will generate a new model of sustainable partnership across NGOs and learning institutions to provide youth-led, global education programs for school-aged youth, promoting learning from a local basis about global issues. In creating this shared evidence base the project will benefit two industry sectors (NGOs and Education) and facilitate the development of effective processes toward young people's greater participation in social life.Read moreRead less