What
Work Have We Undertaken?
Over the last ten years we have completed a diversity
of projects very successfully. The following gives a sample range of some
recent achievements of which we’re proud:
Successfully obtained 2 x $30,000
"Building Communities" grants from Victorian Government for expanding community gardens and
implementing an anti family violence network of playgroups (2013)
Developed a 115 social housing unit redevelopment of an ex primary school site
on a cost-neutral basis (2013)
Prepared a new
model of "Whole-of-Place
Improvement" (WPI) Program as part of Local Area Services Planning (program
is being currently tested in UK) (2013)
Place Management, East Reservoir Neighbourhood Renewal (NR)
(2013), City of
Darebin - Transitioning a low income neighbourhood from heavy dependence on
Government funding to model of resident inter-dependency.
Development of new models of social/health based community centre/government service outlet
options ("fewer, bigger, better" provision model) (2012)
Submissions for Local Governments To Commonwealth
And Victorian Governments For Early
Years And Community Centres In Rural Areas (2012)
Contributed
significantly to Victorian Medicare
Local Population and Health Data Extraction Guidelines (2012) (18 Medicare
Locals in total).
Developed and
issued Health Service Directory for Medicare Local catchment (2012), being
721 services across 88 health occupations.
Business Case Development for a Major Public Hospital/Redevelopment (2011) for
Melton Shire Council.
Road
Safety: Where To Now? (2011) : Road
safety studies and indices show that OECD countries have reached
“saturation” points in the effectiveness of physical and
behavioural interventions to reduce driving mortalities. Mortality rates are
down but serious injuries and hospital admissions are up. We are working with a
road safety behaviour firm to identify ways of innovating new prevention and
amelioration strategies (2011).
Reviewing
Crime & Safety In Public Housing Estates (2010): Using analysis of quantitative data (for example tenancy cessations,
criminal incidence) and qualitative information (tenant and neighbour opinion)
we were able to discern causation of negative dynamics in specific estate
environments. This identification provided the knowledge for strategic,
life-improving, interventions.
Review of
the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) (2010): We undertook analysis of this relatively new
Commonwealth scheme targeted to provide affordable housing for key workers in
otherwise unaffordable areas of Victoria. Analysing a range of performance
indicators we identified early on successes and pitfalls from which NRAS would
benefit in actually delivering to its target clientele.
Public
Tenant Satisfaction Surveys (2004 to 2010): Working with an established opinion sampling firm we deployed surveys
that queried tenant satisfaction with accommodation and life circumstances. The
results strongly informed large $ commitment programs as to where and how best
combinations of required works and tenant satisfaction could be achieved.
“Risk
Management” Projects (2010): The
community sector is experiencing the “risk management” cultural
wave that seeks to inform prior to action where schema and interventions can go
wrong. There are some difficulties with such analysis in the community sector
as people often focus on “risk” rather than
“opportunity”. We use innovative and industry-leading techniques of
assessing risk that reveals in the social and community world what
opportunities are able to be realised to benefit a diversity of people.
“Quality
of Life” Indicator Development (2009): Deploying Government resources (at any level) requires effective
instruments that specifically target the correct client groups to receive
assistance and how effectively that assistance can be provided. We have
constructed various indices using best practice indicator development
(inclusive of OECD country innovations and the “community
indicator” movement) to deliver equitable assessment criteria based on
quality data and informed insight.
Disability
Car Park Options (2009): Responding
to Commonwealth changes in how disability car parking should be made more
uniform in Australia, and recognising the increasing demand on such resources
(both legal and illegal) we have prepared options for community consensus on
disability car parking in inner Melbourne.
Review of
Melbourne’s Growth Nodes: Implications of Growing Populations for Social
Infrastructure (2009): We all
know Melbourne is growing and for some that can be alarming. We have crunched
the numbers and tackled successfully some of the most important matters that
arise, including: who may miss out in growth scenarios, what social
infrastructure is required, what cultural changes can we expect and what
people-profile neighbourhoods are likely to have in the future.
Housing
Options for Disabled Persons (2008 to 2009): As we move from congregate care (read: institutions) to the much more
enlightened model of individual and group housing, we have analysed the
viability of several different forms of independent living housing options for
people with a range of disability conditions. The answer is enabling people and
creating independence with a minimum of risk.
And yes, we’ve done a lot which
we’re proud of, with value for money and delivery of working options
being our hallmark. That’s why we’re called Effective
Answers.