Socially Responsible Indicators for Policy, Practice and Benchmarking in Service Organisations. The Australian Government, while attempting to limit the spiralling costs of the welfare state, has encouraged market principles and practices in service organisations. This has raised value dilemmas and administrative tensions for education and welfare organisations who, while committed to social justice and social responsibility, have to operate efficiently and effectively. This research aims, thr ....Socially Responsible Indicators for Policy, Practice and Benchmarking in Service Organisations. The Australian Government, while attempting to limit the spiralling costs of the welfare state, has encouraged market principles and practices in service organisations. This has raised value dilemmas and administrative tensions for education and welfare organisations who, while committed to social justice and social responsibility, have to operate efficiently and effectively. This research aims, through the identification and analysis of tensions between social and economic value orientations in the workplace, to develop a values framework and key socially responsible indicators for the improvement of policy, decision making and practice within the Industry Partners and the wider service sectors.Read moreRead less
WorkChoices and the Evolution of Australian Working Life: The Changing Role of the Labour Contract. Both internationally and nationally, there is much speculation as to how the transformation of the industrial relations framework will impact on workers and the broader community. Knowledge of the impact of WorkChoices is vital for employers, unions and governments to understand the influence the industrial relations framework has on Australia's social and economic fabric. The survey will address ....WorkChoices and the Evolution of Australian Working Life: The Changing Role of the Labour Contract. Both internationally and nationally, there is much speculation as to how the transformation of the industrial relations framework will impact on workers and the broader community. Knowledge of the impact of WorkChoices is vital for employers, unions and governments to understand the influence the industrial relations framework has on Australia's social and economic fabric. The survey will address some of the social issues that are debated widely in Australia such as the impact of the industrial relations changes on wages and wage inequality, work and family balance, skills development and shortages, workers in regional areas, and workers in low skilled and low paid jobs.Read moreRead less
Ten Thousand Homeless People. Effective interventions to assist homeless people depend upon understanding the reasons why households become homeless. This research will investigate people's pathways into and out of the homeless population, and explain why some households experience a short period of homelessness, whereas others remain homeless for a sustained period of time. The research will also investigate why some 'at risk' households become homeless. This will be the largest data base ev ....Ten Thousand Homeless People. Effective interventions to assist homeless people depend upon understanding the reasons why households become homeless. This research will investigate people's pathways into and out of the homeless population, and explain why some households experience a short period of homelessness, whereas others remain homeless for a sustained period of time. The research will also investigate why some 'at risk' households become homeless. This will be the largest data base ever analysed on homeless pathways in Australia (N=10,000). The research will provide guidance for policy makers and service providers for some years to come.Read moreRead less
Emerging from the shadows: the evaluation of intervention strategies to reduce social isolation amongst the aged. Social isolation imposes a high cost on affected individuals and the community at large. This project will determine what interventions work in addressing social isolation amongst the older population.
The rise of the consumer: engagement of older people with consumer directed care. Australia is adopting a new model of care for older Australians - consumer directed care. This project will provide the evidence needed by governments and service providers to create the most effective and supportive system.
Increasing innovation and flexibility in social service delivery. This project will use a comparative methodology to investigate how contracted social services require careful regulation to ensure service effectiveness and improved organisational capacity. The outcome will include a practice model for understanding the relationship between regulation, contract structure and forms of service delivery innovation.
Corporate political activity of tobacco, alcohol and gambling companies in Australia. This project investigates how tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries influence the policy process, by stalling or defeating the implementation of effective public health policies in favour of ones which do not affect profit. The study will develop guidelines for industry-government interaction to ensure maximum public benefit.
Ending long-term homelessness permanently: How to make effective links between housing and long-term support. Australian services for homeless people typically provide short to medium-term assistance and accommodation. This approach struggles to meet the complex needs of the long-term homeless. Recently there has been considerable government investment in new approaches to end long-term homelessness, but evidence supporting the efficacy of these approaches is limited. This project builds on a fo ....Ending long-term homelessness permanently: How to make effective links between housing and long-term support. Australian services for homeless people typically provide short to medium-term assistance and accommodation. This approach struggles to meet the complex needs of the long-term homeless. Recently there has been considerable government investment in new approaches to end long-term homelessness, but evidence supporting the efficacy of these approaches is limited. This project builds on a four year Randomised Controlled Trial of the Journey to Social Inclusion pilot-program which was designed to end long-term homelessness. The project aims to track participants for an additional two years. The research aims to provide new knowledge on what practices and factors generate positive outcomes and what factors and practices sustain positive outcomes.Read moreRead less
Governance, Institutional capacity and regional planning: a Central Queensland case study. To coordinate development in non-metropolitan Australia, governments are creating new regional frameworks of participation and decision making that exist outside current institutional settings. The aims are to: review and explain the purpose, formation and operation of CQ: A New Millenium; compare and contrast it with other planning processes; and discover the institutional or other impediments to its suc ....Governance, Institutional capacity and regional planning: a Central Queensland case study. To coordinate development in non-metropolitan Australia, governments are creating new regional frameworks of participation and decision making that exist outside current institutional settings. The aims are to: review and explain the purpose, formation and operation of CQ: A New Millenium; compare and contrast it with other planning processes; and discover the institutional or other impediments to its success. Findings will demonstrate the place of a new regional body in local planning. Outcomes will include: clarification of the concept of regional governance; an understanding of institutional capacity; and identification of the features that promote, and inhibit, community-based action for regional sustainability.Read moreRead less