Across Greater Geelong, there is significant disparity between more advantaged and less advantaged suburbs. The 2016 Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA) Index (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016) defines three Geelong suburbs as being amongst the “most disadvantaged” in Victoria. Norlane is ranked as the state’s third most disadvantaged suburb, Whittington is eighteenth, and Corio is twenty-sixth. Despite the many strengths of these diverse communities, this locational disadvantage is a long-term and severe problem affecting the lives of many residents in the City of Greater Geelong (CoGG).
The Vital Communities project was established in October 2019 to improve CoGG’s coordination, planning, and leadership of integrated social and economic development, and to increase social equity and prosperity for communities in Corio, Norlane, and Whittington. The project aims to enhance residents’ quality of life and neighbourhood liveability by improving community outcomes across five “Practice Domains”: Education, Employment, Housing, Liveability, and Health and Wellbeing.
In this report, the HOME Research Hub at Deakin University (Deakin) provides Recommendations for strategic approaches and interventions to improve social equity in Corio, Norlane, and Whittington. These Recommendations were designed to help shape the long-term strategy of CoGG’s Vital Communities Project, and to inform ongoing strategy for recovery from the impacts of COVID-19.
History
Language
English
Research statement
The 2016 SEIFA Index defines three Geelong suburbs as amongst the “most disadvantaged” in Victoria. Despite the many strengths of these diverse communities, this locational disadvantage is a long-term and severe problem affecting the lives of many residents. In this research, the HOME Research Hub provides Recommendations to improve social equity in Corio, Norlane, and Whittington.
A three-stage methodology was followed:
•tEnvironmental scoping;
•tStatistical analysis of COVID-19’s impact on Australia and the Geelong region;
•tTargeted interviews and focus group with key service provider experts.
Eight research questions are addressed:
1. What are the social and economic factors that drive outcomes, particularly for communities affected by disadvantage?
2. What interventions have been used to address these factors to improve community outcomes (Australia + global)?
3. What federal and state policies, programs, and funding opportunities target social and economic development to improve community outcomes?
4. What policy gaps could be addressed to improve community outcomes?
5. What are the key issues to be addressed in a COVID-19 impact assessment?
6. How have “disadvantaged” communities in Geelong dealt with the pandemic?
7. What factors facilitated local economic resilience and affirmed social cohesion?
8. What interventions worked best, and what other approaches could have enhanced residents’ experiences?
Three recommendations were made: approaches for governmental agencies for working with communities on key; 14 priority action areas; and how these priorities could be addressed through 10 initiatives.