Cyan Moon crew preparation for the Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race March 2023
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Talpey, Scott , Fenton, Sam , Casey, Meghan , McNeal, Dominic , Statham, Dixie , Prokopiv, Valerie , Miller, Libby
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: The Collaborative Evaluation & Research Centre (formally CERG) evaluated the crew’s experiences pre and post yacht events using a mixed methods approach. The Cyan yacht had a crew of 12 and competed in a number of events in the racing calendar leading up to the Sydney to Hobart race in January 2023. This was the first time that this boat and many of the crew competed in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
Food security and wellbeing project evaluation 2022-2023
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Miller, Elizabeth , Bransgrove, Natalie , Barbagallo, Michael , Peck, Blake , Unsworth, Carolyn , Hewitt, Alana , Soldatenko, Daria , Hualda, Luis , My, Sambath , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Although the country is transitioning out of COVID-19 lockdowns and easing restrictions, Australians are now facing increased costs of living. Global political unrest, interest rate rises, and inflation have seen the prices of fuel, food and household bills surge, increasing the strain on individuals and families. Fruit and vegetables have seen cost increases by almost 7% from last year, with this figure only estimated to rise. During the same period, however, takeaway food prices increased marginally by 0.7%, potentially due to government subsidy and voucher systems introduced post COVID-19 lockdowns. The strain of food prices is felt even more greatly by those living in regional, rural and remote Australia, with prices increasing due to freight costs. The Morwell Neighbourhood House (MNH) Food Bank provides emergency relief without requiring an appointment and is unrestricted by postcode or healthcare card status. The Food Bank is supported by St Vinnies Morwell, which provides $12,000 annually towards the cost of food, and by numerous community organisations, individuals and businesses. Demand for the Food Bank has increased steadily and particularly so during the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate precursor to the People’s Kitchen was a 2019 project named Cooking for a Purpose. That involved GippsTAFE VCAL students preparing nutritious frozen meals using ingredients provided by MNH. The availability of frozen home-cooked meals has ensured that Food Bank clients have at least one nutritious hot meal per day. The CERC was commissioned to explore the activities of the MNH, gaining an insight into how the whole of person approach to food security was being implemented. This understanding was gained through the perspective of those who were paid employees, Volunteers or accessed the MNH services, outlining the benefits, barriers and future suggestions for the MNH operations when addressing food security in the Latrobe Valley. Data were collected between 2022 - 2023 using a mixed methods approach to understand the impact of the MNH services on participants. Participants included MNH stakeholders, staff, Volunteers, secondary school students and people who accessed the MNH services. In addition to this, a comprehensive literature review was performed to understand the global landscape of food insecurity, exploring how people access Food Banks, the opportunities that arise from engaging with food security service activities and the perspectives of employees who ran these services.
Men’s shed field officer project phase 2 evaluation 2022/2023
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Coombs, Nicole , Soldatenko, Daria , Simic, Megan , Miller, Elizabeth , My, Sambath , Bransgrove, Natalie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: In September 2021, the Latrobe Health Assembly (LHA) and Victorian Men’s Sheds Association (VSMA) launched the Men’s Shed Field Officer in Latrobe to work with local men, Men’s Sheds and other men’s groups with the aim to achieve increased health and wellbeing outcomes for local men and support the activity of the Men’s Sheds in Latrobe. The Field Officer role had previously been evaluated by the Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC) from Federation University, with several recommendations made after analysing data collected from the Field Officer himself and the Shed members. At the end of the first year, it was recommended that the project be extended for another 12 months to allow the adaption of processes to permit further impact of the role. With identified misconceptions and challenges in identifying how the role could assist the Sheds, it was determined more time was required to learn about the Sheds and the individual needs associated with each different Shed culture. The Men’s Shed Field Officer engaged with Men’s Sheds in Toongabbie, Traralgon, Traralgon South, Boolarra, Churchill, Moe, Newborough, and Morwell and helped with the establishment of a new shed in Moe called Carpenter Bee Men’s Shed. The CERC was again commissioned to evaluate Phase 2 of the project with the aim to contribute to the knowledge regarding the best use of resources to achieve improved engagement with men across Latrobe and achieve enhanced health outcomes.
Physical literacy scoping project : children and families 2022-2023 final report
- Authors: Fenton, Sam , Porter, Joanne , Fletcher, Anna , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prins, Alex
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: The Physical Literacy Scoping Project: Children and Families was an initiative of the Latrobe Health Assembly (LHA) Physical Literacy Working Group (PLWG). The research project was funded by the Latrobe Health Assembly and completed by the Community Evaluation Research Group (CERG) in partnership with Institute of Education, Arts and Community (IEAC) at Federation University. The scope of the project included: Enabling community agencies; engaging stakeholders from health promotion, physical activity, education, sport, recreation, and recreation planning; Identifying and prioritising projects; identifying existing support, funding and initiatives and identifying needs for training, education, and ongoing support.
Rainbow brick road report : a snapshot into LGBTQIA+ Lives in Gippsland
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Reeves, Jessica , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Gippsland Pride embarked on an ambitious undertaking to capture the lived experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community across Gippsland through a series of professional development workshops and a Gippsland wide survey. A total of 119 people registered to attend the professional development workshops and a total of 214 surveys were collected, this report represents the findings from this data collection. The purpose of this evidence-based report is to highlight the thoughts and experiences of members of the Gippsland LGBTQIA+ community to inform future strategic plans. The summary report and the expanded report are products of Gippsland Pride's engagement of CERG. The recommendations within and summaries provided have been collated, analysed, and produced by the CERG team.
Rainbow brick road report : A snapshot into LGBTQIA+ Lives in Gippsland, Summary report
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Reeves, Jessica , Propikov, Valerie , Collaborative Evaluation and Research Group
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Report
- Full Text: false
- Description: Summary of the findings of Gippsland Rainbow Brick Road Project report - Gippsland Pride Inc. embarked on an ambitious undertaking to capture the lived experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community across Gippsland through a series of professional development workshops and a Gippsland wide survey. A total of 119 people registered to attend the professional development workshops and a total of 214 surveys were collected, this report presents a summary of the findings from this data collection. The purpose of this evidence-based report is to highlight the thoughts and experiences of members of the Gippsland LGBTQIA+ community to inform future strategic plans.
- Description: Summary of the findings of Gippsland Rainbow Brick Road Project report Gippsland Pride Inc. embarked on an ambitious undertaking to capture the lived experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community across Gippsland through a series of professional development workshops and a Gippsland wide survey. A total of 119 people registered to attend the professional development workshops and a total of 214 surveys were collected, this report presents a summary of the findings from this data collection. The purpose of this evidence-based report is to highlight the thoughts and experiences of members of the Gippsland LGBTQIA+ community to inform future strategic plans.
Adolescents Building Connections (ABC) program evaluation 2022
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Prokopiv, Valerie , Peck, Blake , Bailey, Carolyn , Forooshani, Habib
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: CERC (formally CERG) has evaluated the Quantum Support Services ABC program that provids tools and strategies to help young people understand the impact of their behaviours and encourage positive growth and maintenance of healthy relationships.
Building healthy and resilient communities through service equity project evaluation : June 2022
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Jackson, Megan , Cruz, Naomi , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Working in partnership with the Deddick Valley Isolated Community Group and in collaboration with the Errinundra to Snowy Community Recovery Committee, CERC (formally CERG) evaluated and validated existing data and new information in support of an appropriate health service model for the Errinundra to Snowy District of Far East Gippsland.
Examining the experiences of intercultural ambassadors in regional Victoria from 2019 to 2021
- Authors: Cooper, Kimberlea , Patil, Tejaswini , Ottmann, Goetz , Williams, Dominic , Mummery, Jane
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
Latrobe Regional Hospital : The Wellness Centre evaluation 2021-2022
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Ghasemiardekani, Maryam , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: CERC (formally CERG) partnered with the Latrobe Regional Health (LRH) to evaluate their Staff Wellness Centre, designed to provide wellbeing support for staff during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. The organisation had identified an impact to staff wellness during the pandemic, responding with the Centre to help staff access health promotion services, mental and physical wellbeing services. CERC assisted with evaluating the service, demonstrating the impact the service has had on the overall wellbeing of staff.
Understanding and addressing digital disadvantage in Wimmera Southern Mallee :Research report
- Authors: Tischler, Catherine , McDonald, Kelsey , Reeves, Keir
- Date: 2022
- Type: Report , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: The Understanding and addressing digital disadvantage in Wimmera Southern Mallee Project (the project) explored the challenges Wimmera Southern Mallee residents, focusing on low-income individuals and families, small/micro businesses and migrant groups have in accessing and effectively engaging with digital technology to help guide future regional actions. The project team interviewed 31 people from across five Local Government areas in the Wimmera Southern Mallee (Hindmarsh, West Wimmera, Northern Grampians, Horsham Rural City and Yarriambiack) who have low engagement with digital technology and/or limited internet access, as well as a representative sample of those who work to support those with low digital literacy. Ethnographic research was undertaken to understand the factors that impact on digital engagement and accessibility across the three key demographic groups in the study area. The research investigated people’s access to hardware (e.g. computers, phones and tablets) as well as networks (internet plans and connections – broadband, satellite, mobile etc.). Understanding the challenges in engaging with and interpreting digital technology will help inform future advocacy and policy responses for this region. The research will also facilitate better targeting of information and support to Wimmera Mallee residents to actively improve uptake, access, and engagement. This is important, as the region has been identified as having the lowest digital literacy of any area in Victoria (Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2020).
Women and girls’ participation in male-dominated sports: research outcomes - a project supported by change our game research grant
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Pankowiak, Aurelie , Casey, Meghan , Harvey, Jack , Charity, Melanie , Westerbeek, Hans
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
‘I Am Deadly’ project evaluation December 2022
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Johnson, Nicholas , Prokopiv, Valerie , Jackson, Megan , Prezioso, Michelle , Cowan, Amy , Barbagallo, Michael , Dabkowski, Elissa
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: CERC (formally CERG) evaluated the implementation of the ‘I Am Deadly’ project, which is a version of the ‘I Am Ready’ project targeting young Aboriginal students. The project aimed at encouraging up to 20 Aboriginal students to take up a trade and providing them with a pathway into a trade. It also aimed to encourage Aboriginal Students to continue their education to allow a greater choice for employment options post-secondary school.
Optimal shared home equity model for the younger segment of the population in Melbourne report number 1 : formulation testing and simulation
- Authors: Earl, George , Martin, Jennifer , Liu, Benjamin , Roca, Eduardo , Min, Byung , Beh, Jeanie , Morawakage, Prabath
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
Optimal shared home equity model for the younger segment of the population of Melbourne report number 2 : latest shared equity models in australia and the world: literature review
- Authors: Earl, George , Martin, Jennifer , Liu, Benjamin , Roca, Eduardo , Min, Byung , Beh, Jeanie , Morawakage, Prabath
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
Optimal Shared Home Equity Model for the Younger Segment of the Population of Melbourne Report Number 3: Housing Needs and Aspirations of Melbourne Youth: Literature review
- Authors: Earl, George , Martin, Jennifer , Liu, Benjamin , Roca, Eduardo , Min, Byung , Beh, Jeanie , Morawakage, Prabath
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
Optimal Shared home equity model for the younger segment of the population of Melbourne report number 5 : financial analysis and sensitivities
- Authors: Earl, George , Martin, Jennifer , Liu, Benjamin , Roca, Eduardo , Min, Byung , Beh, Jeanie , Morawakage, Prabath
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
Risky drinking social worlds in Victoria: a social media analysis
- Authors: Ahmed, Ashir , Martin, Jennifer , Towl, David , Haussegger, Zac
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
Reporting on training developed for pharmacy assistants and pharmacy dispensary technicians working with Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD) consumers in regional Victoria
- Authors: Patil, Tejaswini , Cooper, Simon J. , Salman, Mohammed , Mummery, Jane , Molloy, Pauline , Williams, Dominic
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: A recent study (Patil et al., 2018) analysing lived experiences of Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD) consumers suggested that some experienced discrimination and stigma in the pharmacy context in regional Victoria, Australia. One of the recommendations was to explore professional training and education opportunities for allied health professionals and in particular, Pharmacy Assistants (PAs) and Pharmacy Dispensary Technicians (PDTs) as they are integral to serving MATOD consumers. Ballarat Community Health commissioned Federation University to develop training modules for PAs and PDTs working in the pharmacy settings in regional Victoria. A survey of the literature identified two key issues, namely, the lack of professional education and training of PAs and PDTs involved in serving the consumers in pharmacy settings either at the national or state level in Australia. The other finding was the varied use of different types of ‘opioid dependence’ treatments in different jurisdictions of Australia which had implications in terms of embedding psychosocial or Social Determinants of Health (SDH) with therapeutic treatments. As a result, this project serves as a significant step in employing SDH based training modules for PAs and PDTs working with MATOD consumers in the pharmacy settings to address stigma and discrimination. The training workshop materials will be evaluated to determine its efficacy in terms of change of attitudes and professional practice. The aim of this study is to: 1. Deliver and evaluate a new professional training module concerning MATOD and; 2. Examine and evaluate the efficacy and impact of the training module on professional practice and changes in attitudes towards stigma and discrimination amongst PAs and PDTs. This project was conducted in two stages. At the first stage, two workshops (each lasting for two hours) were delivered in two different regional locations in the state of Victoria, Australia (referred to as locations A and B in this report). Thirteen participants expressed interest in location A but eleven attended both training workshops. In location B, fourteen attended the first workshop, while twelve attended the second workshop. Participants who attended the training were administered pre-training and post-training surveys. The pre-training surveys included demographic information, professional experience, educational background and professional training, whereas the post-training survey involved questions about the impact and efficacy of the training delivered. The second stage involved conducting in-depth qualitative interviews with participants who attended the training workshops. The main goal was to evaluate the impact on professional practice and change in attitudes amongst PAs and PDTs. Data collected from the surveys and interviews were analysed using quantitative and qualitative content analysis via an inductive process. In addition, an interpretive phenomenological analysis was undertaken to identify and code themes emerging from the interviews. Ethics approval was received through the Federation University’s Human Research Ethics Committee before the commencement of this project.
Doing better for vulnerable young parents and their children : an exploration of how technology could catalyse system transformation
- Authors: Cook, Kay , Albury, Kath , Savic, Milovan , Zirakbash, Farnaz , Al Mahmud, Abdullah , Ahmed, Ashir , Martin, Jennifer , Fordyce, Robbie , Mackelprang, Jessica , Bano, Muneera , Schneider, Jean-Guy
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false