The Evaluation of Stuctures and Processes for Effective Client, Carer and Community Outcomes: A Model for Rural Mental Health Services. The South West Healthcare Area Mental Health Service ( Warnambool) has demonstrated according to key performance indicators, an effective system of service delivery. This evaluative research project seeks to identify key components within the organisational structures and processes of a rural mental health service that contribute to these effective outcomes fo ....The Evaluation of Stuctures and Processes for Effective Client, Carer and Community Outcomes: A Model for Rural Mental Health Services. The South West Healthcare Area Mental Health Service ( Warnambool) has demonstrated according to key performance indicators, an effective system of service delivery. This evaluative research project seeks to identify key components within the organisational structures and processes of a rural mental health service that contribute to these effective outcomes for clients. The research process will test these key components against other rural and urban mental health services in Victoria and will result in the development of a model for rural mental health service delivery of both local and national significance.Read moreRead less
Adult literacy and Aboriginal community well-being in western NSW. Adult literacy and Aboriginal community well-being in western NSW. This project aims to examine the effect of an adult literacy campaign on Aboriginal communities in New South Wales. Since 2012, four western NSW Aboriginal communities have implemented a Cuban-designed mass campaign model to address very low levels of adult literacy. Over 100 people will have achieved basic literacy by July 2016, and four more communities will joi ....Adult literacy and Aboriginal community well-being in western NSW. Adult literacy and Aboriginal community well-being in western NSW. This project aims to examine the effect of an adult literacy campaign on Aboriginal communities in New South Wales. Since 2012, four western NSW Aboriginal communities have implemented a Cuban-designed mass campaign model to address very low levels of adult literacy. Over 100 people will have achieved basic literacy by July 2016, and four more communities will join by 2019. This project will use a social determinants of health framework to analyse quantitative and qualitative data collected at an individual and population level. This research is expected to improve understanding of the link between Aboriginal adult literacy and health.Read moreRead less
Borderline Personality as Social Phenomena. Mental disorders attract social stigma and those diagnosed are widely misunderstood. This project aims to collect and analyse accounts of people living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) - mainly women - and perspectives of social support practitioners. The intended outcome is to provide a sophisticated understanding of BPD as a social phenomenon, develop sociological evidence based on lived experiences and generate Australian digital resources ....Borderline Personality as Social Phenomena. Mental disorders attract social stigma and those diagnosed are widely misunderstood. This project aims to collect and analyse accounts of people living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) - mainly women - and perspectives of social support practitioners. The intended outcome is to provide a sophisticated understanding of BPD as a social phenomenon, develop sociological evidence based on lived experiences and generate Australian digital resources including narratives of BPD, creative outputs and practitioner perspectives. The anticipated goal of this project is to inform policy and community responses addressing stigma and marginalisation, and the improvement of social support for those affected by BPD.Read moreRead less
The implications of welfare reform for single parent families in their transition to paid work. The study will clarify the policy and practice implications of welfare reform by focussing on its implementation and impacts. These findings will: provide single parents with insight into the experience of returning to work; enable social welfare agencies to design programs and services to meet the changing needs of single parents; provide data for welfare policy review and development; and contribute ....The implications of welfare reform for single parent families in their transition to paid work. The study will clarify the policy and practice implications of welfare reform by focussing on its implementation and impacts. These findings will: provide single parents with insight into the experience of returning to work; enable social welfare agencies to design programs and services to meet the changing needs of single parents; provide data for welfare policy review and development; and contribute to the theory and evidence base for ongoing debates such as the effect of combining multiple roles (for example work and parenting) on single parents and the implications of voluntary versus mandatory welfare to work programs.Read moreRead less
Determining the individual, community and societal impacts of compensable injury in Australia. This project will enhance our understanding of the individual, community and societal impacts of workplace and transport injury in Australia. The project will develop new impact measurement tools for application in workers' compensation and motor accident compensation schemes.
Closing the gap on Indigenous birth registration. This project investigates the nature and extent of problems faced by Indigenous Australians trying to access the birth registration systems within Australia. Following extensive consultation with Indigenous communities and other key stakeholders, this project will identify the causes of the problem and recommend appropriate solutions.
Understanding heavy alcohol consumption cultures among nurses and lawyers . This Project aims to investigate drinking cultures among nurses and lawyers – two sizeable Australian workforces where heavy drinking is common. Addressing drinking cultures among social groups is an emerging strategy to complement population and individual level efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm. Alcohol use among workers has implications for health, safety and performance, yet researchers have paid little attentio ....Understanding heavy alcohol consumption cultures among nurses and lawyers . This Project aims to investigate drinking cultures among nurses and lawyers – two sizeable Australian workforces where heavy drinking is common. Addressing drinking cultures among social groups is an emerging strategy to complement population and individual level efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm. Alcohol use among workers has implications for health, safety and performance, yet researchers have paid little attention to occupational drinking cultures. Using rigorously collected qualitative and quantitative data, this Project expects to generate new knowledge on sociocultural practices and meanings of drinking in the groups, illuminate relations between drinking cultures and harms, and enable innovative intervention opportunities.
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Suicide prevention and management of deliberate self-harm: randomised control trial of an assertive engagement, brief psychotherapy and community linkage model. Suicide is the second commonest cause of death by injury in Australia. Suicide prevention is an important public health priority but rates remain high. People who have previously attempted suicide are most likely to kill themselves. Most suicidal people attend emergency departments where they get inadequate treatment for their psychologi ....Suicide prevention and management of deliberate self-harm: randomised control trial of an assertive engagement, brief psychotherapy and community linkage model. Suicide is the second commonest cause of death by injury in Australia. Suicide prevention is an important public health priority but rates remain high. People who have previously attempted suicide are most likely to kill themselves. Most suicidal people attend emergency departments where they get inadequate treatment for their psychological and social problems and remain depressed and suicidal. This project will test the effectiveness of a new psychological and social treatment to reduce the depression and link suicidal people with community supports. If successful, this treatment could be provided in any emergency department and help decrease suicide rates in Australia.Read moreRead less
How Meston's 'Wild Australia Show' shaped Australian Aboriginal history. How Meston's 'Wild Australia Show' shaped Australian Aboriginal history. This project aims to produce an authoritative and original interpretation of the Wild Australia Show (1892–93), staged by a diverse company of Aboriginal people for metropolitan audiences. The Show will be the focus of an interdisciplinary study of performance, photography, collections and race relations in colonial Australia, using archival and visual ....How Meston's 'Wild Australia Show' shaped Australian Aboriginal history. How Meston's 'Wild Australia Show' shaped Australian Aboriginal history. This project aims to produce an authoritative and original interpretation of the Wild Australia Show (1892–93), staged by a diverse company of Aboriginal people for metropolitan audiences. The Show will be the focus of an interdisciplinary study of performance, photography, collections and race relations in colonial Australia, using archival and visual records. The project will situate the Show in local, national and transnational narratives informed by contemporary Indigenous perspectives. This research should illuminate Aboriginal agency in the ensemble, reconnect Aboriginal kin to performers, and chart changing concepts of race at a critical juncture in Australian history.Read moreRead less
Fostering Aboriginal sexual well-being by building on strengths. This project aims to use a strengths-based approach to examine how Aboriginal young people draw on social, cultural and personal resources to build their sexual well-being. Many Aboriginal Australians see strengths approaches as essential to addressing disadvantage. However, to date they have not been widely used to address the significant sexual health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal young people. The project will create ne ....Fostering Aboriginal sexual well-being by building on strengths. This project aims to use a strengths-based approach to examine how Aboriginal young people draw on social, cultural and personal resources to build their sexual well-being. Many Aboriginal Australians see strengths approaches as essential to addressing disadvantage. However, to date they have not been widely used to address the significant sexual health inequalities experienced by Aboriginal young people. The project will create new knowledge about ‘what works’ in supporting the sexual well-being of Aboriginal young people, that has relevance to a broad range of disciplines beyond the area of health and well-being.Read moreRead less