Statement Addressing Selection Criteria
Position: Senior Research and Evaluation Professional
Applicant:
Criteria
1. Experience in social policy research and/or program evaluation
2. Professional writing skills
3. Project management experience
4. An interest in social policy in a Victorian and National context
In my current position as a Senior Consultant for Noelker Consulting Pty Ltd I led the development of the following projects:
• Golden Plains Youth Development Strategy 2009 – 2012: Golden Plains Shire (Adopted by Council September 2009)
• Engaging Young People in Community Development 2009: Strathbogie Shire Council (Presented to Council August 2009)
• Evaluation of Place Management Central Business District 2009: City of Greater Bendigo (Informed later re-focus of Place Management City of Greater Bendigo)
• Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan 2009 – 2013: Shire of Campaspe (Statutory Plan Adopted by Council November 2009)
As a project team member I also assisted with the development of: Mildura Youth Agenda 2008 – 2012; Assessment of Home Based and Small Business Enterprises – Surf Coast Shire; Economic Development Agenda – Colac Otway Shire; and an Assessment of Small Business – Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce.
These projects required that I:
• Review literature and conduct an environmental scan of the social policy environment – key issues, trends and initiatives. (Criteria 1 and 4)
• Develop, analyse and comment upon qualitative and quantitative information gained from surveys or relevant local or Victorian data, or ABS statistics. (Criterion 1)
• Develop and document the conceptual frameworks used to analyse / evaluate qualitative and quantitative information and / or which guide reco...
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...ut what worked, what did not work and why. (Criterion 1)
• Develop, analyse and comment upon qualitative and quantitative information gained from surveys or relevant local or Victorian data, or ABS statistics. (Criterion 1)
• Develop and document the conceptual frameworks used to analyse / comment upon qualitative and quantitative information and / or which guide recommended actions. (Criteria 1 and 4)
• Ensure that conceptual frameworks used or developed are consistent with the brief and reflect the policy and literature reviewed as part of the project’s development and scoping. (Criteria 1, 3 and )
• Draft and prepare the final strategy, considering the target audience using a range of media designed to visually communicate complex data – eg: social maps, tables, graphs, process diagrams, and mind maps supported by plain language narrative. (Criterion 2)
The “Young People in Northbridge Policy” is applied in the Northbridge district. From the Office of Crime Prevention’s 2003 report, this area “is defined as that area bounded by Roe Street to the south; Beaufort Street to the east; Newcastle Street to the north; the Mitchell Freeway to the west; and, William Street extending to Brisbane Street.”
Qualitative Observations – including the key information observed from staff interviews and information found on file during the Council File Survey.
Thematic analysis is espoused to be the foundational approach to qualitative analysis and methods (Saunders et al., 2016 as stated in Braun and Clarke, 2006: 78) and it is a useful method used to identify and analyse the order and patterns of qualitative data (Attride-Stirling, 2001). Qualitative research method depicts the correlation that exists between data and events, creating the pictorial representation of what one thinks a given data says (Saunders et al., 2016). They also opined that, qualitative data analysis is cogent, interactive and iterative. Also, Joana and Jill (2011) and Saunders et al (2016) postulate that, qualitative research brings meanings from words and images as opposed to numbers. However, despite its robustness and rigour of its application, it is skewed more to the interpretivist ideologies since researchers draw conclusion from participants and the hypothesis being forecasted (Joana and Jill, 2011; Saunders et al., 2016).
The purpose is to explain, predict and or control phenomena through a focused collection of numerical data. Answers the question what, when and where. Sampling is a large population that is random. The design is structured, inflexible, specified in detail (Quantitative, Qualitative Research, 2012). Data collection focus groups and interviews. Data interruptions are conclusions and generalizations at the end of the study, never one hundred percent sure of the outcome. Used to study individual cases and find out how people think or feel (Broader, 2010). Quantitative studies provide more in-depth information that is specific to an issue can often be used for comparison. Quantitative data offer inferential statics, a collection of data about millions of people and make inferences about a target population. The data include gender, height weight, cholesterol level, waist circumference and temperature, ages, geographical region or population and can be anonymous. It helps to measure trends over time such as frequency of outbreaks of communicable diseases in a community. Quantitative enables the ability to summarize allows for comparisons over time and across categories information sources. Quantitative has higher accuracy, eliminates bias, proves or disproves a hypothesis and narrows directions if further research is needed. Quantitative can assist nurses in determine which scientific method to determine which
Kelley, K et al. (2003). Good practice in the conduct and reporting of survey research. Oxford Journal. 15 (3): 261-266.
Since being developed by Bronfenbrenner in 1979 social ecological perspectives have been widely used to formulate practice guidelines and government policies when planning service needs for children, young people and their families. This essay will discuss what a social ecological perspective consists of, what limitations it may incur and how it can assist us in developing best practice and understanding when working with children, young people and families. It will draw on examples from K218 for illustrative purposes.
Coatham, V., & Martinali L. (2010) The role of community-based organisations in sustaining community regeneration: An evaluation of the development and contribution of Castle Vale Community Regeneration Services (CVCRS), International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 30(1/2), 84 – 101.
In an era when the resources for health promotion are limited and the expectations as to what can be achieved are high, sustainability has become a familiar catch-cry (Swerissen & Crisp. 2014.) Health and sustainability are parallel challenges (Cunningham et al. 2010) as the economic, social and environmental characteristics of a sustainable society are the same as those of a healthy society (Griffiths 2006.). The precise definition of sustainability is still subject to debate. It has no single or universally accepted definition. It is not easily captured in a concise definition and means different things to different people or concepts (Auditor General of Victoria 2004). In this case sustainability will be the development aiming to maintain or sustain conditions in order to provide improved long-term economic health and a stable social and cultural quality system to preserve and protect the environment (Gremm et al. 2008). A crucial focus to sustainability includes preserving the environment so that the needs of future generations can also be met indefinitely in the future. Public health programs constitute an important method of improving health and program sustainability (Pluye et al 2004) as partnerships between health organisations and local authority planning departments concerning spacial planning are important to ensure the design of healthy sustainable communities (Griffiths 2006.).
In this paper, I will define quantitative and qualitative research methods and provide examples in the context of social issues which will hopefully provide insight into how this methods are properly applied.
Liamputtong, P. & Ezzy, D., 2005, Qualitative research methods, 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, Victoria, pp. 12-31.
Furthermore, the manner in which political ideologies and perspectives have altered factors such as education, employment, housing and benefits will be examined. Once a full explanation has been provided the fundamental question that needs to be answered is: are the teenagers of today embattled or empowered? “Definitions of ‘youth’ in Western societies usually refer to the life stage between childhood and adulthood, the transitional period between being dependant and becoming independent” (Kehily, 2007). The age of this transition can be best defined by the House of Commons as starting at 16 and ending at 24 years old (2013). This transition from youth to adulthood has altered considerably in recent years; the traditional norms and values that youth once followed are no longer respected or easily attained.
Critically review the evidence to assess its validity (is the information established correct, does it ha...
Land of Dreams plans on build funding support from businesses and private donors in the community. Yet it will take six years before funding from these sources becomes strong enough to expand the program. The primary expenditures for the program are for the training and managing of mentors and the program activities for youth and mentors. Therefore it is essential that due exertion is applied to fund allocation for these critical program responsibilities. An effective communication system will be established to report fiscal data to the Board of Directors so adjustment can be made immediately to assure the strength of the program.
Qualitative and Quantitative study designs both can be beneficial in research design. They both provide valuable options for researchers in the field. These techniques can either be used separately in a research study or they can be combined to achieve maximum information. This paper will define the terms qualitative and quantitative; describe the similarities and differences between each; discuss how qualitative and/or quantitative research designs or techniques could be used in the evaluation of my proposed research; and discuss why linking analysis to study design is important.
Traditional research may use quantitative or qualitative research method. According to Hendricks (2009), quantitative research is a general conclusion based on hard data. Hen-dricks describe quantitativ...