Current Projects
Evaluation of Victorian International Teaching Fellowship (VITF) Program (2011)
The VITF is a program for full-time teachers and principals from the Government, Catholic and Independent schools in Victoria which enables them to develop their professional knowledge and skills through experiencing an overseas education system and culture. The evaluation is examining the extent to which the Program currently contributes and might contribute more powerfully to the achievement of DEECD's education policy and teach and leadership development frameworks; whether the current program reflects best teacher exchange practice benchmarked against best practice against other Australian states and territories and internationally; how the VITF links with and complements other professional learning opportuntiies; and how effectively it acts as a professional learning opportunity and pathway for teachers and leaders.
Provision of Policy Advice in Relation to the Expansion of Support Available for Frontline Workers (2011)
We are providing advise to FaHCSIA in relation to the expansion of support available to Frontline Workers who deal with victims of domestic and family violence and sexual assault. This project includes the investigation of the definition and scope of the term ‘Frontline Worker’, along with investigation of the available supports and training for this group of workers to respond to domestic and family violence and sexual assault, and the vicarious trauma supports needed.
Evaluation of the Sexually Abusive Behaviours Treatment Services (SABTS) (2011)
SABT is funded by DHS to provide treatment for 12-24 months to any child up to 15 years who have or are exhibiting problem sexual behaviour/secually abusive behaviours. For this evaluation, we are investigating the extent to which intended outcomes have been achieved; and the scope for further service improvements. It includes examining effectiveness of Victoria Police and the child protection system in referring children / young people into the SABTS system and the extent to which these responses are collaborative and cohesive.
Men's Mental Health Mapping (2011)
beyondblue engaged Success Works to map the range of current programs and initiatives in place across Australia that address men's mental health. This includes the range of programs and initiatives, both directly and indirectly related to men's mental health, being provided or driven by the government, non-government and the private sectors. A particular focus of this project was to investigate the scope, adequacy and effectiveness of the identified initiatives.
Evaluation of Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership Programs (2011)
The Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership (Bastow Institute) is a key initiative under the 2008 DEECD Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development and that its aim as a centre for learning is to inspire excellence in educational leadership. The Bastow Institute will continue to build upon the significant investment DEECD has made in developing human resources under the Learning to Lead Effective Schools Strategy by taking a more targeted and systematic approach to developing effective school leadership and ensuring teachers' professional learning makes a positive impact on children's learning and development.
Evaluation of the Nexus Pilot Project (2011)
The Nexus Policing Project was a partnership between Victoria Police and the Australian national University (ANU) which aimred to address community safety issues through establishing more effective networks between police and other agencies. An aspect of the broader Nexus project involved establishing a pilot to test interagency collaboration in the management of the sex offenders.
Development of an Indigenous Family Violence Primary Prevention Framework (2011)
Commissioned by the Department of Human Services, for this project we developed an evidence-based Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Framework to inform and guide future investment in local indigenous family violency prmary prevention projects. This included supporting the development of primary prevention capacity across Indigenious communities to challenge the normalisation of violence before this violence reaches levels requiring a crises response; and recommending activities that are more likely to be effective and the setting fro where these activities should occur in order to be most effective.
Evaluation of the Northern Territory Mobile Outreach Service Plus (MOS Plus) (2011)
MOS Plus responds to trauma relating to any form of child abuse or neglect, including sexual abuse, by providing culturally safe counselling and support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, adolescents and their families in remote communities in the Northern Territory. Commissioned by the Department of Health and Ageing, our evaluation assessed the implementation of the MOS Plus and its impact on the target population; documented lessons learned and made recommendations that may be used for considerations for future policy and planning.
Teacher Professional Leave Evaluation (2011)
The Teacher Professional Leave evaluation requires a longitudinal study over three years of the Victorian government's program for developing and skilling its teachers. This teacher leave program is uniquely structured, in that teachers nominate topics from within areasof interest, and pursue these in a rigorous and consistent fashion over intense periods of leave. Initial feedback from the program suggests that it has encouraged high levels of quality in teacher work. Our action research approach, supported by a literature search for international models of best practice, will ensure that the benefits of the program are maximised during the period of our evaluation, and beyond.
Universal Development of an Evaluation Framework for the Summary Procedure Reforms (2011)
For this project we developed an evaluation framework to evaluate the changes to summary procedure which are being trialled. These include trials by Victoria Police of internal changes to its brief preparation and summary presecution work practices. The trials also involve the use of preliminary briefs and summary case conferences as part of the preparation for the new Criminial Procedure Action 2009 (CPA). The evaluation centres on outcomes and outputs (Are the intended policy outcomes being achieved? Are there important unintended outcomes?); and project processes (Is the process to implement the changes effective and appropriate? Does it need to be changed?).
Development and Implementation of a Mentoring Program for Allied Health Workers in Rural Victoria (2008 - current)
Commissioned by the Department of Health, Success works have developed and delivered a mentoring program for Victorian rural and remote allied health workers. The project is based on the premise that by establishing supportive relationships for workers, recruitment and retentions of allied health professionals in rural and remote Victoria will be improved. Other anticipated outcomes include improved job satisfaction amongst participants, reduced professional isolation, and improved knowledge and confidence through greater awareness of career development opportunities.
Evaluation of the Universal Access 15 hours Kindergarten Pilots (2011)
The purpose of this project is to scope the capacity of existing and potential settings for preschool education within kindergartens, long day care centres, schools and neighbourhood houses to meet the commitment to provide access to 15 hours of preschool education for every four year old child. Success Works’ role is primarily to pull together emerging themes and issues from the respective councils in the Eastern Metropolitan Region, consider relevant strategies and enablers for addressing these issues and provide advocacy pointers to ensure that the particular circumstances of councils in the Eastern Metropolitan Region are considered in progressing the early childhood education reform agenda.
Click here to view our Recent Projects