Health justice partnerships: Initial insights into the delivery of an integrated health and legal service for youth in regional Victoria
- Authors: Ollerenshaw, Alison , Camilleri, Marg
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural and Remote Health Vol. 17, no. 2 (2017), p. 1-6
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Introduction: This article presents interim findings from research examining the implementation of a health justice partnership (HJP) focusing on the legal and health needs of regional young people. HJPs provide an innovative service model offering an integrated health and legal service for the community. HJPs are a relatively new service model for Australia, yet the program is well suited to meet the needs of particular population cohorts, including young people and those in regional locations experiencing complex legal issues. Methods: Funded by the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner, an HJP in partnership with three organisations was established in a large regional area in Victoria, Australia. Research is being conducted alongside the program to examine its impact on young people, and the implications on practice for staff in the partner organisations. Results: Findings provide preliminary support for the HJP model with a number of young people - from predominantly disadvantaged backgrounds and with varying legal issues - having been referred to the program in the first 6 months. Referrals were received from both partner agencies and external agencies. Initial client and staff survey responses indicate that the legal problem of the young people was affecting how they feel. Conclusions: While these findings provide preliminary support for the HJP further research will offer longer term insights about HJPs within the Australian context, particularly rural and regional settings. © A Ollerenshaw, M Camilleri, 2017.
Literacy Trails : A whole-of-community program to encourage literacy and numeracy awareness for children in preschool and early primary
- Authors: Ollerenshaw, Alison
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australasian Journal of Early Childhood Vol. 37, no. 3 (2012), p. 147-153
- Full Text: false
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- Description: This article describes the evaluation outcomes of an innovative, communitybased educational initiative to enhance and promote the awareness of literacy and numeracy in young children in two regional communities in Moorabool Shire, Victoria. With the support of committed educational and community partners (through the Moorabool Best Start Partnership), the Moorabool Literacy Trails were first established in 2006 to promote and nurture children's awareness of literacy and numeracy, and to encourage active participation in the Trails by facilitating local community involvement. In 2010 an evaluation of the program used a mixed, qualitative and quantitative methodology (surveys and interviews with teachers, parents, community participants, program partner representatives) to examine the program's effectiveness in promoting literacy and numeracy awareness for children in their early years, and also whether the program is an effective catalyst for increasing community awareness and capacity. There was strong evidence that the project achieved its aims, as quantified by the continued interest in the program through the large numbers of children participating and the continued commitment to the project by its partners and the local community. This whole-of-community approach helps to promote important educational principles for children and their parents. This program has large appeal at many different levels and offers great potential for similar educational programs to be adapted and/or transferred to other communities and regions.
- Description: 2003011111