August 2012 Minutes
Next Meeting
BATForce AGM
Thursday 6th September 2012
10am to Midday
Barwon Youth
12/14 Halstead Place
Geelong West. 3218
AGENDA
Welcome / BATForce ExecAttendance / Around the Room
Assessment and intervention program / Belinda McLean
Geelong Prevention Community Model / CoGG
SFYS Report / Greg Hansen/Mel Taylor
General Business
Minutes of the Meeting – August 2012
ATTENDANCEPeter Brown / Chair / Greg Hansen / BATForce
Mel Taylor / BATForce / Lynn Longworth / BATForce
Deb Caraday / MIF / Claire Barrett / Catholic Care
Sophie Goldengay / Deakin / Belinda Mclean / Pathway/Deakin
Danielle Rygiel / Barwon Youth / Nina Ditterich / Time 4 Youth
David Jefferson / Time 4 Youth / Shane Murphy / Barwon Youth
Fiona Lorimer / MacKillop / Tom Mullane-Grant / Golden Shire
Deb Barclay / Barwon Youth / Mel Taylor / BATForce
CB Nyko / CoGG / Michelle Downs / CoGG
Greg McGrath / CoGG / Kimberley Pickett / Time 4 Youth
Dave Mitri / DEECD / Pete Jacobson / DEECD
Tamara Johnson – Slader / MacKillop / Margot McIntyre / CoGG
Steve Vivian / CoGG / Jarrod Zdrzalka / Surf Coast Shire
Apologies
Debra Gormley / Deaf Children / Leigh Bartlett / BATForce
Anna Burke / DHS / CR Jan Farrell / CoGG
Jayde Mulder / Barwon Medicare
Assessment & Intervention Program – Belinda McLean & Sophie Goldengay ( Pathways & Deakin)
The purpose of this study is to explore young people’s (age 13-17 years) ability to engage in predictive and flexible thinking – core skills required to solve problems, manage impulsivity and sustain social relationship. Your child is invited into this study because he or she has been identified as having either sensory or neurological problems which sometimes leads to difficulties sustaining social relationships, and is also within the normal IQ range.
The aim of the research is to assist young people who have neurological difficulties to interact more appropriately in social situations, thereby reducing their social isolation. We are planning to achieve this by assisting participants to develop cognitive and social skills that will assist them to self-regulate in a social situation more appropriately. In order to do this, the project will: 1) establish the cognitive skills of young people in the study such as their ability to solve problems, manage impulsivity and form and sustain social relationships with others; and 2) develop a program to increase the problem solving, flexible thinking and meaningful social participation of young people in the study.
What will be involved for your child?
We will be inviting your child be participate in four assessments or games before we begin the program. These assessments will give us information on the sorts of skills that need to be included in the program. The games are: a thinking game (called the Associate Fluency Test which takes about 15 minutes) which asks the young person riddle type questions such as ‘What is similar about an apple and a carrot?’ The second game is a fun game where the young person is instructed to be a movie director and make a 10 minute animation with the props which we will supply. This game will be filmed (with your consent) as this will assist us with scoring the skills involved in this game (for example, being able to develop a story). The third game is about the young person’s social skills. This is more a paper and pencil game. We will also be using the Hayes Ability Screening Index (HASI) to screen that the young person is within the normal IQ range. The HASI is a series of puzzles which takes 10 minutes. As all young people will be given the HASI, if we find that the young person scores lower than we expect, then we will be thanking the young person for their time, however, we will not be able to include his/her in our study.
It is expected that the four games will take no more than 1 hour.
After the games, we will be offering a program to develop skills in flexible thinking and social interaction. The program will involve your child being one of four young people in a small group that undertake fun activities together. The groups will be run by Belinda McLean who is on our research team. This program will be one hour per week for approximately 10 weeks. We are planning to hold the program activities in a local center such as at Deakin University Waterfront Campus.
After your child completes the program will be giving them the four games again to complete to see what has changed. As we expect 40 young people to be part of the study we will be running the program in two groups. One group will run for the first 10 weeks and the other group will run for the second 10 weeks. We will be giving the four games again to all the young people after the second group finishes the program.
So, in summary, we will be inviting your child to engage in four games before the program begins, in between the change of groups and at the conclusion of the second group’s program. This will give us information on how effective the program is to increase your child’s skills in thinking and social abilities.
While we cannot guarantee your child will benefit from the program, we will be designing the program to meet your child’s needs as indicated on the four games we are using to understand your child’s skills. As mentioned earlier, by helping young people with neurological disabilities to interact more appropriately in social situations, including the use of skills such as self-regulation and cognitive skills, this research intends to reduce social isolation for them.
Risks and potential benefits to participants:
There are no foreseeable risks to the participants, and it is expected that your child will enjoy the games and the program. No adverse effects are expected to occur. Participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw your child during the study but before all the data are analysed. After the data are analysed we will not be able to identify your child’s information. We will also be asking your child for their consent to be part of the study. There will be no implications to participants or their families as a result of withdrawal from the study. There will be no effect on your relationship with the Deakin University or the service which is supporting you and your child/ren.
Any expected benefits to the wider community:
We are gathering information on strengths and deficits in cognitive and social skills not related to IQ in a group of young people with sensory and neurological impairment and this information will increase our understanding of why these groups of young people have difficulties in problem solving, self-regulation and forming meaningful social relationships. These new understandings will lead to a practical program addressing these issues. Information about the effectiveness of the program could benefit the wider community by informing practice for those workers involved at Pathways or Gateways working with adolescents with neurological and sensory processing difficulties.
How privacy and confidentiality will be protected:
Paper copy of completed consent forms:
All data will be stored in locked cabinets at Deakin University. Access will be by the researchers of the study only.
Electronic data:
Data will be stored on a Deakin University server in a restricted access drive (password protected-passwords changed every 3 months) to which only the research team have access.
Video recordings of the movie game will be only accessed by researchers working on the project and will be secured in locked filing cabinets, within locked offices at Deakin University.
Data and records will be archived for 6 years at Deakin University. Then, they will be destroyed. Electronic data will be maintained by the principal researcher only. At the end of the study your child’s name will not be on any forms and so your child’s information cannot be identified.
The overall findings of the project may be reported at relevant conferences or written up in professional journals. However, your child will not be identified as we will only be used the average scores from the whole group.
There will be no payments made to participants
This research is funded by a Health and Social Development School Grant of $9976 and this funding is being used to buy the games and the equipment for the program.
Key contact: Miss Belinda McLean
p +61 (0)3 5229 8295 | ext 174 m 0400815695 (work)
Geelong Prevention Community Model – CB Nyko/Michelle Downs & Greg McGrath - CoGG
What is the Prevention Community Model?
In Victoria, a comprehensive approach to chronic disease prevention will be delivered in 14 local government areas through the Prevention Community Model (PCM).
The PCM aims to improve people’s health where they live, learn, work and play. By addressing the underlying causes of chronic preventable disease, local communities will develop local solutions for healthy living.
Where is the Prevention Community Model operating?
• The PCM is operating across 14 local government areas (LGA): Hume, Wyndham, Whittlesea, Knox, Bendigo Dandenong, Cardinia, Mildura, Wodonga, Latrobe, Geelong, Ararat, Pyrenees and Central Goldfields.
Who is involved in Geelong?
• The PCM is an agreement between the Victorian Department of Health, the Australian Government and participating Local Government Authorities. In Geelong, the PCM is a partnership between the City of Greater Geelong (CoGG), Barwon Health and Bellarine Community Health.
• The PCM in Geelong covers the entire CoGG municipality, including areas such as the Bellarine Peninsula.
• The PCM is using local partnerships and a skilled health promotion workforce to encourage healthy eating and physical activity, reduce smoking and harmful alcohol use. Communities, early childhood services, schools and workplaces will be encouraged to take action through this initiative to lead on improving our population’s health and well-being.
How is the PCM funded?
• The national and state government are serious about prevention and the City of Greater Geelong has been funded $5.25M over the period 2011-2015.
• From this funding, 12 highly experienced and skilled individuals have been recruited within CoGG newly established Healthy Communities Unit. These new roles include a Coordinator, Team Leader Healthy Workplaces, Team Leader Healthy Children, Partnership and Engagement Officer, Research and Evaluation Officer and a number of Health Promotion Officers.
• The funding will allow CoGG and its partners to:
- roll out an initiative that supports better health where the people of Geelong live, learn, work and play
- support partnerships for prevention with government, non-government organisations, businesses and community members
- ensure community engagement and participation in determining local solutions to local issues
- support health promoting schools, early childhood services, workplaces and communities
- contribute to developing an evidence base to support future local preventive health efforts.
What are we aiming for by 2015?
• 95% of schools and early childhood centres in CoGG municipality are engaged in improving health.
• 75% of medium–large workplaces (20+ employees) in CoGG area are engaged in improving the health and wellbeing of their workers.
Bellarine Community Health Ltd.
• Decreasing the rate of overweight and obesity from 54.1 to 48.6 percent.
• Increasing the rate of physical activity from 63.6 to 69.3 percent.
• Increasing daily serves of fruit from 1.72 to 2.32 serves, and vegetables from 2.49 to 3.96 serves.
• Decreasing smoking prevalence from 18 to 15.6 percent.
Why was the Geelong region selected to be one of these communities?
• This new approach targets funding and effort in communities according to need. This means the right kinds of programs are delivered to the places where they are most needed, and where they will have the most effect.
• The community selection process involved comparing Victorian local government areas on population health characteristics such as physical activity, healthy eating, smoking and obesity rates. Consideration was also given to local government areas that have significant areas of disadvantage within them.
• Local government areas were grouped based on similar demographics, and then the Geelong region was selected at random. This was the fairest way of choosing from amongst areas that were otherwise much alike in terms of health characteristics.
• This process of selection allows for a robust approach to evaluation and for a balanced spread of funded areas across Victoria.
How will we know the Geelong region’s PCM is working?
• The Centre of Excellence in Intervention and Prevention Science (CEIPS) will support City of Greater Geelong, Barwon Health and Bellarine Community Health to assess the success of prevention efforts.
• A dedicated Research and Evaluation Officer will be also be actively involved in developing the data and evidence for Geelong.
What might the Geelong region community expect to see over coming years?
Preventive health actions will be based on community need, but they will include opportunities for children and parents, workers, employers, and the community to become healthier.
Some opportunities may include:
- programs and policy development that encourage fruit, vegetable and water consumption
- programs that encourage physical activity in the workplace - such as walking to meetings, stair use and active transport
- access to a range of other healthy living programs
- active community involvement in directing what, where and how food and active living options are planned and implemented in the Geelong region.
Geelong has also been selected to host the Jamie's Ministry of Food centre. Jamie's Ministry of Food will deliver cooking and nutrition education programs to the community.
Further information
For further information regarding the Geelong PCM
email:
Greg Hansen – Colac Youth Expo
Working Party – Colac Area Health youth development worker , councillor from Colac Otway Shire, Agency staff including BATForce and members of the Colac Otway Youth Council.(CSC, TC, ABp-12&LHp-12)(yr9-12 & 2 school leavers)
Aim: To highlight all the sport, recreation and leisure activities available for young people in the Colac Otway Shire to access.