JULY 2022

Welcome to the latest news from the BSL Social Policy and Research Centre (SPARC).

Topics in this issue include social security for families, the home learning environment for young children and emissions reduction without increasing inequality. And we foreshadow a webinar about systemic change for the health and human service workforce, and  a student event for Social Sciences Week.

You can read more about our current work at www.bsl.org.au/research and also browse our policy submissions. 

Please share this policy and research update with your colleagues and encourage them to subscribe.

WEBINAR: A systemic change approach to developing a modern health and human service workforce
Monday 22 August 2022, 1 pm to 2 pm

The health care and social assistance sector is Australia’s largest employing industry with the fastest growing workforce, yet faces widely acknowledged challenges. In this webinar, drawing on BSL’s systemic change methodology, presenters will consider how to address current and future demands for skilled workers.

BSL’s Dr Joseph Borlagdan and Kira Clarke will host a panel featuring:

• Professor John Buchanan, University of Sydney Business School
• Jodi Schmidt, Human Services Skills Organisation
• Dr Damian Oliver, National Skills Commission

WEBINAR: WORK, CARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY TO BENEFIT FAMILIES

How do current family payments intersect with employment, care and income support? What needs to change to improve the financial wellbeing of families with children in Australia? A panel including BSL's Dr Dina Bowman, Emeritus Prof. Bettina Cass, Prof. Peter Whiteford and advocate and expert by experience, Paulene, discussed key policy proposals at this recent webinar.

Watch the webinar Work, care and social security: making it work for children and families (57 mins)

PRESENTATION: ENRICHING THE HOME LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Insights from two studies of the Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters (HIPPY), which operates in 100 communities across Australia, were shared by Julie Connolly and Shelley Mallett at the 2022 conference of the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS).

View their presentation Home learning with HIPPY: results and learning from the HIPPY Longitudinal Study and the HIPPY Tutors Study (PDF, 3.7 MB)

POLICY: VICTORIA'S 2035 EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGET

Climate change is a major threat to everyone in Australia, but particularly people facing existing disadvantage. Victoria’s policies for greenhouse gas emissions reduction should reflect the need to protect vulnerable groups from the impacts of climate change.

Read our recent Submission regarding Victoria's 2035 emissions reduction target (PDF, 184 KB)

EVENT: PUTTING SOCIAL SCIENCES TO WORK

How can method and skills gained in studying social sciences be put to use to make change, solve problems and shape the world? An event for students planned for Social Sciences Week 2022 will involve BSL’s Deborah Warr as co-chair and Andrew Thies as a panellist with other practitioners, students and academics reflecting on their work and why they are passionate about the social sciences.

This is part of our partnership with the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Event co-hosts are Nesam McMillan, Deputy Head of School Partnerships, SSPS, and Stella Koritsas, Head of Research at Scope.

Watch for details of this online and in-person event, 9 September, 11.30 am to 1 pm (to be confirmed).

​The Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL) is a social justice organisation that works to prevent and alleviate poverty across Australia. You are receiving this email as you have previously subscribed to the BSL Research and Policy Centre e-newsletter. To unsubscribe, please click on the link below.