The transition from secondary school to adulthood: Experiences and life outcomes for youth with an intellectual disability and their families. This project seeks to explore the challenges faced and outcomes achieved by students with an intellectual disability as they move from secondary school into adult life. The study will investigate the factors at an individual, educational, family, and societal level which positively and adversely affect outcomes for young people with an intellectual disab ....The transition from secondary school to adulthood: Experiences and life outcomes for youth with an intellectual disability and their families. This project seeks to explore the challenges faced and outcomes achieved by students with an intellectual disability as they move from secondary school into adult life. The study will investigate the factors at an individual, educational, family, and societal level which positively and adversely affect outcomes for young people with an intellectual disability and their families. Family impacts can include significant loss of income as parents may have to cease employment to care for their young adult who has limited employment or day placement options. Gaining the knowledge to minimise the disruption to family life, which often occurs at this time of transition, will lead to strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric.Read moreRead less
Enhancing adolescent mental health through positive education. Positive education is a preventative, strengths-based approach to address the mental health needs of young people in schools. This project will use innovative methods to examine the contribution of positive education to adolescent mental health, and to social and learning outcomes; and will also guide effective and widespread dissemination of positive education, more generally.
Transition to retirement by adults with chronic disabilities: increasing community capacity. This project will contribute to healthy, productive ageing by people with chronic disabilities. This group are living longer and will retire from their disability-specific supported employment and day program services. They then risk social exclusion, loneliness and associated poor health outcomes. This project will provide training and support to local community groups and voluntary work settings, to in ....Transition to retirement by adults with chronic disabilities: increasing community capacity. This project will contribute to healthy, productive ageing by people with chronic disabilities. This group are living longer and will retire from their disability-specific supported employment and day program services. They then risk social exclusion, loneliness and associated poor health outcomes. This project will provide training and support to local community groups and voluntary work settings, to increase community capacity to support this group to participate actively in and contribute to their community in retirement. This will result in increased participation by this group and improvements in their well-being. Training resources developed by the project will be available to disability service providers nationally.Read moreRead less
Neuroimaging changes underpinning improvements in cognition in the elderly. Natural supplements are often used to improve brain and cognitive function, however, we do not know how these supplements work in the brain. Using novel brain imaging scans, the project will investigate whether 12-month administration of two promising natural supplements improves brain markers of ageing and cognitive decline in an elderly population.
The 'health' of Australia's professions: Teaching, nursing and policing as effective professions. If Australia is to have a place as a 21st century nation it must be supported by an effective public service. In Western Australia, teachers, nurses and police make up 70% of the public service. The effectiveness of these services is a direct function the 'health' of these occupations and the ?health? of the organisations employing teachers, nurses and police. Nonetheless, there has been little syst ....The 'health' of Australia's professions: Teaching, nursing and policing as effective professions. If Australia is to have a place as a 21st century nation it must be supported by an effective public service. In Western Australia, teachers, nurses and police make up 70% of the public service. The effectiveness of these services is a direct function the 'health' of these occupations and the ?health? of the organisations employing teachers, nurses and police. Nonetheless, there has been little systematic inquiry into this area. This research will develop the concept of the ?health? of a profession comprising both perspectives, and use this to develop and test a comprehensive instrument for the ongoing monitoring of the ?health? of the teaching, nursing and policing professions.Read moreRead less
Harnessing recreational infrastructure to improve physical activity and community well-being. This project will investigate the impact that establishing a major recreational and aquatic centre has upon physical activity and measures of community well-being. It will also test the effect of different marketing strategies on community members' usage of the centre.