Building Community Capacity to Address the Determinants of Employability in the Upper Spencer Gulf
A Background Paper
Report commissioned by Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North, Department of State Development and Department for Health and Ageing
June 2016
Authorised and published by Regional Development Yorke and Mid North in collaboration with the Department of State Development and the Department for Health and Ageing.
This report has been prepared by Michele Herriot Health Promotion Consulting. Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the contents. Any errors are the responsibility of the author.
The consultant wishes to acknowledge the contribution of the people consulted during the course of this project.
Disclaimer
Any statement or finding expressed or implied in this document is made in good faith on the basis of information available to the consultant at the time. No warranty, expressed or implied, is given for the accuracy of information provided by others. The author accepts no liability for any changes in conditions which occur subsequent to the completion of the document or for any loss or damages arising from or relating to the use of the report by any other party.
Table of Contents
List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………. iv
Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………v
Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………...……..vi
1Introduction
1.1Background to this report
2Disadvantage, Education and Employment – Understanding the Connections
2.1Socio-economic indicators
2.2Significant determinants of employment potential
2.2.1Early life factors
2.2.2Educational experiences
2.2.3Young people strengths and risk factors
2.3Industry Requirements
2.4Summary
3Identifying Community Strengths
3.1Taking a strengths-based approach
3.2Community Building
3.2.1Building stronger communities
3.3Community capitals or assets
3.3.1Building communities and economic development
3.3.2A health perspective on assets
3.4Evaluation
3.5Summary
4Frameworks and Tools for Measuring Community Assets and Capacity
4.1An Asset Based Community Development measurement approach
4.2University of Kansas Community Toolbox
4.3Jackson’s Toronto model
4.4The Aspen Institute tool
4.5The Nine Domains model
4.6A Community Capacity Assessment tool for rural communities
4.7Summary
5Alternative Models
5.1Critique of assets based approaches
5.2Collective Impact, RBA and Turn the Curve approaches
5.2.1Collective Impact inWhyalla
5.2.2Logan Together
5.2.3Burnie Tasmania
5.2.4Together SA and Thriving Communities
5.3Northern Economic Plan
5.4Other Approaches
5.4.1Geelong Region Alliance G21
5.4.2Science Technology Engineering and Maths Skills
5.5Summary
6Ideas for Action on Employability
6.1Support regional leadership
6.2Adopt a whole of community approach
6.2.1Provide support for the early years
6.2.2Provide support for school engagement and completion
6.2.3Provide support for successful transition from school to work and education
6.3Conclusion
7Recommendations on Asset Mapping
7.1.1Merits of Mapping
7.1.2Strategic planning and asset mapping
7.1.3Integrated community and economic development
7.1.4Defining the purpose and scope of asset mapping
7.1.5Low understanding of asset mapping
7.1.6Expertise
7.1.7Reach
7.1.8Tools
8References
List of Figures
Box 11 USG stocks and flows
Box 12 The Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group economic development focus
Box 21 Definition of employability
Box 22 Key determinants of wellbeing
Box 23 The importance of early childhood development
Box 24 Communities for Children Port Augusta
Box 31 Tupelo Mississippi, US: a community development exemplar
Box 32 Defining community
Box 33 Celebratory events in USG – building social capital
Box 34 Human, social and built capital in the USG
Box 41 Rural Australia Community Capacity Assessment tools
Box 51 Whyalla Community Partnership Planning
Box 52 Logan Together
Box 53 Burnie Works projects
Box 54______Building a Stronger Community in Peterborough
Box 55 G21 Region Opportunities for Work (GROW) - Geelong
Box 71 Example indicators of basic asset mapping process
Figure 11 Map of the Upper Spencer Gulf, South Australia
Figure 21 Building an employment-ready population – a logic model
Figure 31 The Community Capitals Framework
Figure 32 Community and Economic Development Chain
Figure 71Factors to consider in choosing an Asset Mapping Tool
Table 21 Summary of socio-economic Indicators for the Upper Spencer Gulf region
Table 31 Types of capital
Table 41 Jackson et al Toronto project – examples of Indicators
Table 71 Examples of asset related indicators around education and employability
Abbreviations
ABCD / Asset Based Community DevelopmentAEDI / Australian Education Development Index
APY / Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
BCCP / Building Community Capacity Project
CPG / Common Purpose Group
DSD / Department of State Development
G21 / Geelong Regional Alliance
GROW / Geelong Regional Opportunities for Work
IRSD / Index of Relative Social Disadvantage
NGOs / Non Government Organisations
NRM / Natural Resource Management
NSW / New South Wales
PIRSA / Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia
RBA / Results Based Accountability
RDA / Regional Development Australia
SA / South Australia
STEM / Science Technology Engineering and Maths
UK / United Kingdom
USG / Upper Spencer Gulf
USGCPG / Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group
VET / Vocational Education and Training
Executive Summary
Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla, the three major Upper Spencer Gulf (USG) cities in South Australia, are facing significant economic challenges with reductions in mining, manufacturing and secondary services following the mining boom prior to 2012. The Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group (CPG) and its members, businesses, all three levels of governments and communities are working together to develop strategies to overcome these challenges and build future growth based on the potential of the region.
Compounding these challenges is the high level of disadvantage in the three cities. During downturns the most disadvantaged members of the community disproportionately bear the costs of unemployment and without major improvements in education and capacity they will continue to miss out on the benefits of growth in the future, especially when higher-level skills are required. In particular, failure to provide young people with the best chance of employment into the future is a failure to maximise economic outcomes and perpetuates the cycle of inequity.
TheBuilding Community Capacity Project initially sought to progress a strengths-based approach to identifying, measuring and enhancing community strengths or assets. The Project evolved with the rapidly changing economic circumstances of the USG during early 2016. This Background Paper is the result, presenting findings from an examination of the literature in this field, limited consultations in the three cities and some mapping of current programs. The Paper provides information that can inform more integrated social and economic planningwith a focus on disadvantage, education and employabilityespecially for young people.
The level of disadvantage in the three USG cities is well known but a focus on the determinants of employability requires consideration of a variety of indicators including at least early childhood development, education outcomes, family structure, health and wellbeing and community strengths to complement employment indicators. Relevant socio-economic data is presented and the critical pathways required to build individual, family and community skills to position disadvantaged community membersfor greater employability are summarised. This includes the impact of the early years of life on long-term development, the importance of education in building skills and employment capacity and the opportunity created by close school – employment – training links with attention to those with higher needs.
A logic model illustrates, at a glance, the relationship between the determinants of employability for young people, the proposed priority action areas, outputs and medium and longer-term outcomes.
Community assets or strengths include natural, cultural, human, social, political, financial, built, heritage and creative capital. These strengths counterbalance the focus on the deficits of communities such as Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla. There are a variety of tools available to measure the levels of capitals in communities and the tools could be applied in the USG. They range from basic to extremely detailed with all requiring skills, time and a clear purpose plus strategies to reach a broad sample of the community.This type of asset mapping typically forms the base for community capacity building and the assetshave potential to be strengthened, supported, acknowledged and leveraged to improve employability outcomes and to position the community for future employment opportunities.
Other community based approaches to addressing the determinants of employability and building skills and community capacity are outlined. In South Australia and elsewhere, the Collective Impact Approach and Results Based Accountability are being progressed including in Whyalla for example. Snapshots of different models from regional centres such as Geelong, Bowen and the Hunter region, cities that face similar challenges to the USG, are also presented.
This report includesideas for future action around the determinants of employability. The suggestions involve recognising and engaging the strengths in the community, taking a concerted, whole of community approach and including processes to set clear outcomes, monitor progress and report on key indicators. The focus must address the needs of the most disadvantaged within the community. Ideas include:
- Providing training for regional leaders and decision-makers to ensure leadership, commitment and skills is fundamental.
- Providing the best start in life for children aged 0 to 8 years and their families. Whilst this would not impact on employment outcomes for many years it can help break the cycle of disadvantage in communities and should be integral to any focus on economic development.
- Assisting marginalised and at risk young people through a collaborative integrated approach across sectors including education, health, community services, justice, local government and beyond. Getting in early in the schooling process offers the opportunity to position young people with the best possible chance of being employment ready
- Building on existing approaches to enhance the education – training – employment connections with a focus on young disadvantaged people. This has potential for shorter-term employment outcomes for those young people with existing skills and capacity.
Finally, ten recommendations are provided to assist in decision-making about undertaking asset mapping. These include:
- Consider the merits of adopting an asset mapping processvis-à-vis other processes
- Adopt a consistent approach to ‘basic’ asset mapping in USG projects collecting information on key human, social and financial capital indicators as an integral part of planning and development
- Include social and community assets in economic focused USG projects as an integral part of community planning and development.
- Consider issues including scope and commitment to engaging assets prior to undertaking a more detailed asset mapping process
- Raise awareness about the merits and methodology of assets mapping as a precursor to any asset mapping process
- Ensure there is expertise available to undertake the mapping process
- Implement strategies to ensure reach to those with higher needs as part of asset mapping
- Circumstances in which there is merit in undertaking a comprehensive asset mapping process e.g. for longer initiatives and where there is capacity to work with and engage the community in achieving changes
- Factors to consider when implementing mapping and choosing a tool including a description of the nine types of capital a education and employment related indicators. No one tool is recommended.
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Building Community Capacity to Address the Determinants of Employability in the Upper Spencer Gulf
Building Community Capacity to Increase Economic Opportunities in the Upper Spencer Gulf
Background Paper
1Introduction
Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla, the three major Upper Spencer Gulf (USG) cities in South Australia[1] (see Map X) have enormous strengths and potential. They are described as friendly communities[1], with a long history and proud traditions, many beautiful natural resources including marine parks and proximity to the Flinders Ranges, sporting and outdoor adventure options and a growing range of arts and community events. Despite these strengthsit is a time of considerable uncertainty for the more than 50,000 people living in these cities.
Like many cities throughout the world the USG cities are facing significant structural changes, with reductions in mining-related industry and manufacturing and secondary services (see Box 1.1). The threatened closure of Arrium at Whyalla, the Port Augusta power stations and associated Leigh Creek mines, the reduction in Olympic Dam production and the resulting impact on local businesses, have all occurred in recent years.This downturn and associated rising rate of unemployment, follows a period of rapid growth, especially in the mining sector, in the period up to 2011.
Figure 11 Map of the Upper Spencer Gulf, South Australia
Box 11 USG stocks and flows
A 2014 report on USG stocks and flows reported[2]:
The five largest industries contributing to Gross Regional Product are mining, manufacturing, utilities (electricity generation), education and health. Apart from mining, which saw significant growth across South Australia over the last five years but is now slowing, and utilities, the three cities have only average capacity in the fast growing industries (such as education, health and telecommunications). This suggests that their economic performance over the next five years will lag behind the rest of South Australia.
The report adds there is a healthy mixture of cooperation and competition between the three cities. Mining, manufacturing, utilities and public administration are the only industries that vary significantly between the cities with the first two stronger in Whyalla and the latter two stronger in Port Augusta.
Health and education services are provided in all three cities with some specialisations e.g. oncology at Whyalla. Social services are provided in each city with limited evidence of links.Some community services are provided in all three cities e.g. Uniting Care Wesley, Centacare and Red Cross with similar programs in each location.[3]
There is substantial effort underway to increase options for alternative economic development opportunities through organisations such as the Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group (CPG) and its members including Regional Development Australia (RDA) agencies, local government and business (see Box 1.2). State and Australian governments and their departments are integrally involved.
Box 12 The Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group economic development focus
The USGCPG website provides the following information[4]:The Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group is committed to economic development and growth in the region. Support for industries within the Upper Spencer Gulf and new business looking to set up in our region is vital for a sustainable growing economy.
With strong links to Local Government, Regional Development Australia, the Global Maintenance Upper Spencer Gulf industry cluster and State Government the Common Purpose Group can help link potential businesses with a range of local support.
The Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group is also working to strengthen the links between industry, education and research to ensure future skills and technical capacity can be met in the region.
The Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group is currently focusing on a number of initiatives that support transformation of our region to cleaner, more innovative and economically diverse cities. These include:
- Economic diversification of the Upper Spencer Gulf by realising our potential for clean technologies, renewable energy and innovation in arid-smart technologies, minerals processing and value-adding.
- Improving higher education and research capabilities to support these emerging sectors in the Upper Spencer Gulf by linking the needs of local industry with access to a collaborative network of universities, research institutes and training providers coordinated and co-located within the Upper Spencer Gulf.
- Improving coordination of environment and development assessment to improve developer certainty and conservation outcomes.
- Enhancing strategic infrastructure and intermodal potential of the region.
- Improving city attractiveness and liveability through strategic facility upgrades, main street activation and improved buffer zones between heavy industry and city centres.
New opportunities involving the Nyrstar development in Port Pirie, the solar thermal power plant and arid horticulture operation in Port Augusta and opening of the Whyalla based diesel supplies centre for the trucking industry are all underway. Potential growth industries such as renewable energy, defence, agriculture and arid innovation, transport and logistics hubs and cultural tourism are being identified and courted, and supports are being provided to increase the capacity and potential of existing businesses.
But, one of the threats to maximising regional development generally and these types of opportunities in particular is the high level of disadvantage in the three cities, and associated hinterlands. Those who are most disadvantaged often fail to benefit from job opportunities during boom times as they lack the education, skills and/or experience to enter the workforce, especially where higher-level skills are required. And, during downturns, the costs of unemployment are unequally borne by the poorest members of the community.
Without widespread understanding of the relationship between disadvantage, inequity, education and employment and a commitment to address these determinants, it will remain difficult to increase the employment potential of the community and improve economic outcomes, both in the short and long term. For young people in particular this is a waste of potential and can set a negative course for the future.
The good news is that there are strengths within the communities on which to build action. Addressing disadvantage and building on and utilising the strengths and assets of the community are important enablers of equitable economic development.
1.1Background to this report
In 2015-16 the Upper Spencer Gulf Community Capacity Building project was commissioned by the Department of State Development (DSD), Department for Health and Ageing (DHA) and Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid-North, on behalf of the USGCPG.