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.
Activating social connection to address isolation in Australia. Surveys of wellbeing repeatedly emphasise social isolation, but there is a gap in positive approaches that can be used to grow connection. This research aims to design an approach to activate social connection for people and communities. Using a pre-tested evidence-based framework, experiences of vulnerable cohorts, and affordances of ways to connect on and offline, this project takes a strengths focus to develop a joined-up place-b ....Activating social connection to address isolation in Australia. Surveys of wellbeing repeatedly emphasise social isolation, but there is a gap in positive approaches that can be used to grow connection. This research aims to design an approach to activate social connection for people and communities. Using a pre-tested evidence-based framework, experiences of vulnerable cohorts, and affordances of ways to connect on and offline, this project takes a strengths focus to develop a joined-up place-based strategy. Expected outcomes include world-first practical tools and guidance for local social connection activation and new knowledge about how interwoven on/offline services assist social connection. Increasing social connection is expected to improve individuals’ mental wellbeing and community resilience.Read moreRead less
The high cost of financial insecurity: exploring the role of the 'fringe economy' in the lives of low-income Australians. The national benefit from this research has a number of dimensions. The first is to draw the community's attention to the high costs and charges associated with fringe lenders in Australia and the economic and social consequences of accessing these services. The second benefit relates to establishing what sorts of financial products and regulatory measures would offer low-inc ....The high cost of financial insecurity: exploring the role of the 'fringe economy' in the lives of low-income Australians. The national benefit from this research has a number of dimensions. The first is to draw the community's attention to the high costs and charges associated with fringe lenders in Australia and the economic and social consequences of accessing these services. The second benefit relates to establishing what sorts of financial products and regulatory measures would offer low-income Australians a better outcome. A number of states in Australia have recently introduced legislation to limit the interest rates charged by pay-day lenders. The study is very timely in that it offers an opportunity to monitor the impact of these new regulatory measures and consider opportunities for further reform.Read moreRead less
Connecting social policy and urban planning for a low carbon future. Australia has one of the most carbon intensive economies in the developed world. This project aims to identify policy synergies between environmental, economic and social policies that can move Australia toward a low carbon economy and model of sustainable prosperity. The project plans to place questions about poverty, transport and urban planning at the heart of examining how developed nations can move past a high carbon model ....Connecting social policy and urban planning for a low carbon future. Australia has one of the most carbon intensive economies in the developed world. This project aims to identify policy synergies between environmental, economic and social policies that can move Australia toward a low carbon economy and model of sustainable prosperity. The project plans to place questions about poverty, transport and urban planning at the heart of examining how developed nations can move past a high carbon model of economic growth and city planning. It aims to use innovative research methods, such as cross-national comparisons, political discourse analysis, planning case studies and deliberative public forums to engage the community, scientists and policy makers in re-imagining Australia's future.Read moreRead less
Developing a collaborative approach to ageing well in the community. This project is located within an identified national research priority that of Ageing Well, Ageing Productively. It is also consistent with the goals of the ARC NHMRC Research Network in Ageing Well. While much of the Australian policy debate has previously focused on the negative implications associated with population ageing, it is essential to explore how older people and local communities can age well. The benefit of this ....Developing a collaborative approach to ageing well in the community. This project is located within an identified national research priority that of Ageing Well, Ageing Productively. It is also consistent with the goals of the ARC NHMRC Research Network in Ageing Well. While much of the Australian policy debate has previously focused on the negative implications associated with population ageing, it is essential to explore how older people and local communities can age well. The benefit of this project is that it helps translate national policy directives / goals by offering a framework for action at the local level. Further benefit will derive from the project by enhancing options for community engagement of older people.Read moreRead less
Managing Older People's Financial Assets in Aged Care Facilities: The Intersection of Legal and Care Requirements and Financial Management Practices. This project will provide important new knowledge and propose changes to policy, practice and legislation that will promote older people's independence and choice in how their financial affairs are managed. The physical and cognitive frailty of aged care facility residents is increasing and their capacity to manage their assets and income is often ....Managing Older People's Financial Assets in Aged Care Facilities: The Intersection of Legal and Care Requirements and Financial Management Practices. This project will provide important new knowledge and propose changes to policy, practice and legislation that will promote older people's independence and choice in how their financial affairs are managed. The physical and cognitive frailty of aged care facility residents is increasing and their capacity to manage their assets and income is often limited. This study will address financial elder abuse and problems with how decisions are made on behalf of older people. Improving the legislative, policy and practice frameworks that govern the risks, rights and responsibilities of care staff and family members will assist them to appropriately support and protect older people in residential care.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100074
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,000.00
Summary
Data Co-operative Platform for Social Impact and Wellbeing. The Data Cooperative (Co-Op) Platform for Social Impact and Wellbeing aims to make data-driven research and decision-making in the social sciences more effective and efficient by developing infrastructure to support data integration and harmonisation of diverse data resources. Social research relies on a vast array of data types and sources, both open and confidential, making data analysis complex and time-consuming. This project will d ....Data Co-operative Platform for Social Impact and Wellbeing. The Data Cooperative (Co-Op) Platform for Social Impact and Wellbeing aims to make data-driven research and decision-making in the social sciences more effective and efficient by developing infrastructure to support data integration and harmonisation of diverse data resources. Social research relies on a vast array of data types and sources, both open and confidential, making data analysis complex and time-consuming. This project will drive innovation across a range of critical social issues that require integrated data for research and social innovation including healthcare, better outcomes for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, resilient urban, rural and regional communities, and increasing our capacity to respond to climate change. Read moreRead less
Lost in Transition: supporting young people with complex support needs. This project seeks to improve the lives of young people with complex support needs who experience overlapping forms of disadvantage. It intends to investigate how best to support their frequent transitions between services, institutions and care environments. These transitions are particularly problematic for this group, and if poorly supported, have significant social and economic costs. The project aims to analyse early li ....Lost in Transition: supporting young people with complex support needs. This project seeks to improve the lives of young people with complex support needs who experience overlapping forms of disadvantage. It intends to investigate how best to support their frequent transitions between services, institutions and care environments. These transitions are particularly problematic for this group, and if poorly supported, have significant social and economic costs. The project aims to analyse early life transitions and the supports available and to suggest best practice for transition support and a framework for how to track transitions using existing data. Intended outcomes will inform policy and practice in how best to invest in supports for young people with complex needs as they make multiple transitions.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
Reducing young women’s offending through improved service delivery . Young women’s contact with justice and welfare agencies has increased rapidly across Australia and the world, creating a crisis that is costly and harmful, especially for young Indigenous women. Pathways into these systems are gendered; but the systems were designed to address the needs of young male offenders. This project therefore aims to discover how these systems could be better designed to improve outcomes for young women ....Reducing young women’s offending through improved service delivery . Young women’s contact with justice and welfare agencies has increased rapidly across Australia and the world, creating a crisis that is costly and harmful, especially for young Indigenous women. Pathways into these systems are gendered; but the systems were designed to address the needs of young male offenders. This project therefore aims to discover how these systems could be better designed to improve outcomes for young women. The project uses a novel approach that gives young women a voice in how five Anglicare end-users (the research partners) and other end-users can enhance their service provision in the welfare and justice sectors and become models of best practice.Read moreRead less