The Intended and Unintended Impact of Policy for Adaptive Policy Management. The project aims to advance knowledge about the intended and unintended consequences of policy on health and well-being. It expects to innovate through new methods and novel data to integrate policy evaluation into the policy cycle in a timely fashion to prevent harm from occurring. It also leverages technology to track policy effects in real time. Expected outcomes of this project include new knowledge and enhanced pol ....The Intended and Unintended Impact of Policy for Adaptive Policy Management. The project aims to advance knowledge about the intended and unintended consequences of policy on health and well-being. It expects to innovate through new methods and novel data to integrate policy evaluation into the policy cycle in a timely fashion to prevent harm from occurring. It also leverages technology to track policy effects in real time. Expected outcomes of this project include new knowledge and enhanced policy infrastructure using new methods and interdisciplinary approaches. Significant benefits include improvements to: (1) policy management by government departments; (2) the health and wellbeing of the Australians they serve; (3) our Partners' capacity to consult governments on how technology can assist policy management. Read moreRead less
The impacts of industry restructuring. This project aims to shed light on how Australia's workforce and communities will engage with the world of work in a future shaped by new business models and disruptive technologies. Using the closure of the automotive industry as a lens into this topic, the project will provide new insights into how displaced workers find work, use services, relate to others, and reshape their futures. It sheds light on the community-wide impacts of restructuring, providin ....The impacts of industry restructuring. This project aims to shed light on how Australia's workforce and communities will engage with the world of work in a future shaped by new business models and disruptive technologies. Using the closure of the automotive industry as a lens into this topic, the project will provide new insights into how displaced workers find work, use services, relate to others, and reshape their futures. It sheds light on the community-wide impacts of restructuring, providing new perspectives on how local resources and public policies best advance the process of adjustment.Read moreRead less
Financial decision making in late adulthood. The project aims to examine links between cognitive changes and financial decision-making in late adulthood and also to assess the preparedness of the elderly to combat financial risks due to age-related cognitive decline. Further, it intends to examine how age, education, wealth, health, and other environmental factors influence transfer of financial decision-making responsibilities to spouses or others. It is expected that the research will provide ....Financial decision making in late adulthood. The project aims to examine links between cognitive changes and financial decision-making in late adulthood and also to assess the preparedness of the elderly to combat financial risks due to age-related cognitive decline. Further, it intends to examine how age, education, wealth, health, and other environmental factors influence transfer of financial decision-making responsibilities to spouses or others. It is expected that the research will provide a greater understanding of how cognitive functioning and other factors affect older adults’ financial capacity and willingness to delegate decision-making responsibilities. This understanding could be used to inform policy initiatives to protect elderly individuals and their family members from the risk of financial mismanagement.Read moreRead less
Upholding the right to cultural connection for children in care. A positive sense of cultural identity is critical to wellbeing, yet children in out-of-home care often lose their cultural identities and connections. There is little evidence to guide out-of-home care agencies to support a culturally meaningful foster care placement for non-Indigenous culturally and linguistically diverse children. This project tests promising practices identified by the partner organisations and research literatu ....Upholding the right to cultural connection for children in care. A positive sense of cultural identity is critical to wellbeing, yet children in out-of-home care often lose their cultural identities and connections. There is little evidence to guide out-of-home care agencies to support a culturally meaningful foster care placement for non-Indigenous culturally and linguistically diverse children. This project tests promising practices identified by the partner organisations and research literature to produce an exemplary model of cultural care, with input from children, carers and birth families. Trial implementation in the partner organisations will inform guidelines and recommendations so that the model can inform policy and practice in out-of-home care across Australia.
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Fostering school attendance for students in Out-of-Home Care. This project aims to investigate why children and young people in Out-Of-Home-Care in Australia are absent from school far more than their peers. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the reasons for their absences and to develop solutions to improve attendance through: children’s own voices; detailed absence data; policy audit; and case studies of promising practice. Expected outcomes include a comprehensive conceptuali ....Fostering school attendance for students in Out-of-Home Care. This project aims to investigate why children and young people in Out-Of-Home-Care in Australia are absent from school far more than their peers. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the reasons for their absences and to develop solutions to improve attendance through: children’s own voices; detailed absence data; policy audit; and case studies of promising practice. Expected outcomes include a comprehensive conceptualisation of absences including those triggered by schools or the care context; and an evidence-informed, child-centred framework to enable attendance and, thereby, improved educational outcomes. This should provide significant social and economic benefits both for children in care and for the community. Read moreRead less
Building resilient alpine environments with less snow. In this project, we aim to build resilience into alpine National Parks and Alpine Resorts to counter the effects of ongoing declines in snow. Alpine environments depend on snow to regulate water flows, insulate vegetation, control soil erosion and promote proper ecosystem functioning. How these processes will operate in a snow-free future is unknown. We will determine how and where snow characteristics drive soil water availability for plant ....Building resilient alpine environments with less snow. In this project, we aim to build resilience into alpine National Parks and Alpine Resorts to counter the effects of ongoing declines in snow. Alpine environments depend on snow to regulate water flows, insulate vegetation, control soil erosion and promote proper ecosystem functioning. How these processes will operate in a snow-free future is unknown. We will determine how and where snow characteristics drive soil water availability for plants and which plant species have the best adaptation and regeneration potential under extreme conditions such as heat, frost and drought. Benefits of the project include innovative land management and rehabilitation solutions, to safeguard Australia's alpine areas under changing environmental conditions.Read moreRead less