Social value and its impact through widening participation : a review of four programs working with primary, secondary & higher education students

In 2017 the Office of Widening Participation conducted a program-wide analysis of the Social Return On Investment (SROI) to evaluate the impact of four Widening Participation programs at Western Sydney University (WSU). The programs evaluated were Fast Forward, Strive Towards Educational Participation and Success (STEPS), First Foot Forward, and Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE). The overlapping aim amongst the four programs is to increase higher education participation rates, particularly for students coming from low socio-economic backgrounds. The SROI framework provided a holistic analysis by intertwining qualitative and quantitative data. The analysis showed that each program—albeit with differences—produced a collection of positive outcomes, and made important progressions to increasing and widening participation for “non-traditional” students. This is verified by the SROI ratio which is represented as a return, for every dollar invested—the combined four programs equated to an average return of $5.78 for every$1 invested

Effects of drainage conditions on the triaxial compression behavior of unsaturated soil

A market paradigm shift towards a ‘knowledge-based economy’ means Australia is moving towards a major skills crisis whereby the workface will lack skills attainable from higher education. Moreover, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and who are confronted with disadvantage, still face challenges in gaining entry to university. The Fast Forward Program (FFP) aims to increase attainment of higher education for X high school students in years 9–12, with a focus on dismantling the social barriers preventing attainment. To achieve this aim, the program hosts a range of student and parent in-school workshops and on-campus visits. To capture the social impact of the program for all participants, the social return on investment (SROI) methodology was implemented. The SROI ratio is represented as a return in dollar value for every dollar invested; due to the success of the program, the investment represented $5.73 for every$1 spent. The key findings indicated that students and parents gained a deeper familiarity and understanding of university which, in turn, created a deeper confidence and motivation for students to enter higher education. Additionally, participants reported being able to better use their time to cater for study, and were more comfortable about going onto a university campus

Individual-Based Measure of Socio-Economic Disadvantage: Making Identification "Agile"

This project aimed to develop an individual-based measure of socio-economic disadvantage that can assist Australian universities to identify socio-economic disadvantage at the level of the individual student. A mixed-methods design was used. Phase 1 comprised an online questionnaire distributed to staff working in the area of widening participation and student support at each of the 42 universities in Australia (n = 256) and an online questionnaire for undergraduate students at three universities (one a member of the Group of Eight and the other two members of the Innovative Research Universities group – one a multi-campus metropolitan university and one a rural university) (n = 4,114). In Phase 2, five focus groups were conducted with staff and six with students to further explore the issues raised in Phase 1. Phase 3 consisted of a desk audit of university websites to provide data on the information publicly available to students experiencing socio-economic disadvantage. In the final phase, Phase 4, a possible approach to measuring disadvantage was evaluated through its presentation to students at two universities which had been part of Phase 1 (n = 91). The following factors were found to be indicators of socio-economic disadvantage. Whether the student: provides financially for their family; is the first in family to attend university; is experiencing financial hardship; and/or is in receipt of Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY during Years 11 and/or 12 (or another Centrelink income and asset-tested entitlement) for a period of at least three months during Years 11 and/or 12 or equivalent. These were found to be questions that students were willing to answer and which would lead to effective and efficient identification

The development of anti-social behaviour in Pacific youth

You’re not different until someone treats you that way. It is with this reflection in mind that the research completed across the doctoral candidature concentrates on working effectively with diversity from socio-economic, socio-cultural, and the socio-political realm in an Australian context. An examination of how this then impacts across levels in various systems, including statutory and non government agencies, reveals ongoing deficits in responsiveness and competency. Individual needs are being neglected, whilst the opportunities to personally develop skills that enable class mobility, development of positive self-identity, and overall resiliency in negotiating an appropriate outcome are limited. Young offenders are treated differently predominantly as marginalised members of the community, with many social and welfare issues that perpetuate their cycle of disadvantage and negative contact with the legal system. It is within these differences, when contrasted against social risk and protective factors, that the ability to move beyond such problems becomes more of a challenge, than a reality. Pacific youth are treated differently as members of a communally-oriented ethnic population, noted for their lack of engagement with teachers, aggressive behaviours across the community, and damaging consumption of alcohol in public places. How they compare differently with other cultural groups may provide evidence that assists in understanding whether cultural elements deter pro-social behaviour, or a lack of connectivity amongst educators, law enforcers, and family. The ability to treat the needs of young offenders should be approached in a collaborative manner, catering for the range of diverse needs through a holistic psychosocial case management model. By recognising existing strengths, and reviewing solutions across 13 life domains, young Pacific offenders are provided with pathways away from anti-social behaviour. As a community composed of individuals and organisations, we ought to interact and treat differences in a manner that encourages strategic responses conducive to positive change. The development of individual, community and organisational capacity across these three specific areas is an important process of promoting movement for the betterment of those involved. Equitable change can occur through systems that encourage a responsiveness to diversity as part of a process that assists individuals in feeling included. Overall, the interest for embarking on this research was sparked by the quest to demonstrate to and give marginalised and minority youth a voice and platform to be represented in a manner that hopefully provides insight into shared experiences. This research explores the need for innovative thinking to resolve ongoing social, welfare, economic, psychological, physical, mental and emotional needs, while illustrating how these differences, when acknowledged and appreciated, can be used to create positive change

Delivering the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Course within the National Rugby League (NRL): Evaluation Report

Mental illness is a reality for many Australians. The National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, conducted in 2007 with people aged 16-85, revealed that one in five Australians, or 3.2 million people, had a 12-month mental disorder (a mental illness occurring 12 months before the survey took place) (ABS, 2007). The survey further revealed that 16 million Australians (45%) within this age bracket suffered with a mental illness at some point in their lives. While these findings are slowly becoming public knowledge, there is still a limited understanding amongst laypeople regarding the overt and more covert symptoms of mental illness, as well as appropriate methods of treatment and support for those that struggle with such challenges in their daily lives. Despite popular opinion, elite athletes are not exempt from these statistics. The pressures and expectations of clubs, coaches, fans and players themselves can reinforce feelings of isolation and loneliness (Storch and Ohslon, 2009), which discourage those experiencing mental illness to seek help. Compounding this sense of isolation are the physical, mental and emotional demands of elite athleticism partnered with the debilitating stigma that is rampart within the sports industry (Griffin, 2013). In response to the needs of such an underserviced population, this report assesses the effectiveness of the Mental Health First Aid course, for stakeholders across the National Rugby League (NRL), and their responses to the course. This course is run over one or two days, depending on the availability of each cohort, and provides an overview of a range of mental illnesses, their symptoms, and how lay people can be better trained in assessing symptoms and referring those in need to mental health care professionals

Pacific Islands Field Education (PIFE) 2016 Report

We have successfully completed 4 years (2013 – 2016) of facilitating the Pacific Islands Field Education (PIFE) initiative, striving to achieve the following three key components: 1. Provide international learning opportunities for Western Sydney University students 2. Enhance social work education; including teaching, learning and research resources through The University of the South Pacific (USP) 3. Promote the development and identity of professional Social Work across Oceania region. Within this active partnership with The University of the South Pacific, the project has provided scope to develop ongoing relationships with community based services, whilst bolstering the manner in which social work education is manifested through field education across both institutions. To date, 20 Western Sydney University Bachelor of Social Work students have successfully completed their final year social work placement in the Pacific, 15 in Fiji, 3 in Samoa and 2 in Tonga. We have now partnered with 7 agencies in the region, which includes family and health services in the Kingdom of Tonga

Developing and Implementing a Case Management Model for Young People With Complex Needs: A Toolkit for Community Workers, Educators and Justice Officers

The purpose of this toolkit is to share some of the experiences and learning that Mission Australia has gained from developing and implementing a case management model to support and empower young people with complex needs. This toolkit contains information and tools to support the development and implementation of case management models, and direct service delivery. The case management model and the tools in this kit were originally designed for young people engaged in or seen to be at risk of ongoing involvement in antisocial, risk-taking and offending behaviour. The toolkit is based on Mission Australia’s practice wisdom and primary research conducted in 2007-08 with young people who were participating in Mission Australia’s Youth Offender Support Programs (YOSP), and one of these programs in particular: Pasifika Support Services (PSS). PSS is an initiative of the NSW Premier’s Office, developed and implemented by Mission Australia in partnership with the NSW Police Force. It is a holistic program which aims to meet the needs of Pacific young people. It arose in recognition of the overrepresentation of this cohort in the youth justice system in NSW and the need to better understand the issues experienced by young Pacific people in order to develop culturally appropriate responses. Many of the tools were originally designed with this group in mind and it is the case management model that was developed and adapted for PSS that is the centrepiece of this toolkit

Risk and protective factors for Pacific communities around accessing and aspiring towards further education and training in Australia

Possessing vocational and career aspirations is an important characteristic that supports individual and family benefits, both socially and economically. However, when such attributes are not in existence, this may deter an ability for people to obtain employment opportunities that in turn enable social inclusion and mobility. This paper explores original research on the possible risk and protective factors of Pacific communities residing in Australia, and the barriers that deter the uptake towards further education and training. Feedback was sourced via an online survey completed by Pacific children and young people in primary school, high school and university, and their parents, teachers and community support workers. Protective factors include supportive family and friends, teachers, and positive selftalk paired with having a clearer understanding of goals and personal motivations. Pacific young people also placed an importance on supporting their families through their anticipated achievements, including a desire to financially assist parents and siblings. Risk factors include negative peer association, anti-social behaviour and non-supportive family and teachers. The need to also consider the cultural context in which the Pacific diaspora interact within a Western setting is encouraged, alongside an importance placed on creating a collaborative approach that enhances perspectives that incite achievement towards and in higher education

Pacific Youth Offending within an Australian Context

Despite being 1.3 per cent of the total Australian population, Pacific communities are overrepresented in the youth justice system. This article identifies trends in the interaction Pacific young offenders have with Police, Children\u27s Court and Juvenile Justice in New South Wales. Key findings were mapped through comparisons between 100 young offenders, 49 Pacific, 51 Non-Pacific. Results include Pacific youth feeling vilified by Police, more time in courts and having issues in complying with supervision requirements under Juvenile Justice. A need to promote culturally inclusive whole-of-community and whole-of-government approach is discussed in achieving better responses to assist Pacific youth and their families