I am an experienced researcher, educator and leader at RMIT University. I am passionate about designing inclusive communities.
Current Projects
Housing temporary migrants: investigating challenges and policy opportunities
This Investigative Panel establishes the housing circumstances and experiences of temporary visa holders (TVHs) in Australia and provides critical evidence of challenges and opportunities in the development of housing policy and service provision. The panel’s findings form a set of policy and practice recommendations to improve housing outcomes for TVHs.
The project report is currently under review with the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute of Australia and will be published on their website.
Room sharing arrangements are common in Melbourne’s student accommodation. Photo: KickVick
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning for planning and implementation of multi-actor interventions Merri-bek city council
This project is a research and practice partnership between staff of the Merri-Bek City Council and RMIT academics. The project aims to strengthen the planning and implementation of Council initiatives and build new knowledge about how to effectively use theories of change to support planning and implementation of multi-actor interventions.
The project has resulted in a report that has informed policymaking locally (confidential). An academic journal article about Human Rights Policy implementation in local Councils is currently under review.
Community wellbeing, safety and human rights (merri-bek.vic.gov.au)
It is a human right to have a say in decisions that concern you, your family, or your environment.
Creatively engaging community in urban planning
Development pressures in Greater Melbourne’s suburbs are changing the experience of communities. In the context of rapid development, traditional forms of community engagement and consultation in urban planning do not adequately engage communities about what aspects of their suburbs and livability are important to them, especially in giving voice to young people and marginalised communities. This study explores how creative practice can be used to engage communities and “amplify voices” in the future development of their suburbs. Preliminary findings show that:
Community engagement improves the quality of urban planning processes for young people in marginalised communities.
Urban spaces are used by a wide range of residents, but conventional ways of engaging the community in planning processes often attract only a small proportion of the community.
Satisfaction with community consultation and engagement is a key quality indicator for local councils, but is low. Planning processes and outcomes are better if they are more inclusive of younger people and culturally diverse community members.
Creative practice overcomes barriers to involvement and builds cross-cultural and cross-demographic connections between all participants, including planners and local government stakeholders. Creative practice can be deployed through a wide variety of engagement strategies.