These projects tackle key social issues of concern in our communities, such as legal assistance, social welfare and safety. UOW staff work with community partners to improve the quality of life of people in our communities who may be marginalised due to gender, socio-economic status, cultural background or other reasons.
Community services
This selection of CEGS projects has contributed toward addressing the following UN Sustainable Development Goals.
1 – No Poverty
3 – Good Health and Wellbeing
4 – Quality Education
5 – Gender Equality
6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
10 – Reduced Inequalities
11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17 – Partnerships for the Goals
Safe Night Out
UOW project leaders
Mr Ron Fogarty, Manager, Safe and Respectful Communities, Student Services Division, Ms Tracey Todd, Senior Manager, Student Success, Student Support and Transition, Mr David Anderson, Manager, Security, Facilities Management Division, Mr Kenton Bell, Postgraduate Researcher and Tutor, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences.
Community partner
Mr Marc Swan – Secretary, Wollongong Liquor Accord.
Brief
The ‘Safe Night Out’ initiative aims to address incidents of sexual assault and sexual harassment, particularly associated with alcohol consumption. Experts from UOW will deliver training to staff in licensed venues to help them understand, respond to and ultimately prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault in their venues. The intended outcome of the project is to create a safer community by providing licensed venues with the tools and skills to address sexual assault and sexual harassment and to appropriately respond to disclosures of these incidents in their venues.
This project is working towards the following UN Sustainable Development Goals three, five, 11 and 16.
Duress, Social Security Debt and Domestic Violence
UOW project leaders
Dr Scarlet Wilcock, Lecturer, School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law and Professor Nan Seuffert, Director of the Legal Intersections Research Centre, School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law.
Community partners
Ms Leanne Ho, Executive Officer, National Social Security Rights Network and Ms Catherine Eagle, Solicitor, Welfare Rights and Advocacy Service.
Brief
This project responds to the needs of social security recipients who are victims of domestic violence (DV). This community, comprised primarily of women and children, continues to be disproportionately targeted and unfairly impacted by social security compliance mechanisms, including by the new robo-debt technology. Instead of supporting victims of DV, the social security system may at times be exacerbating the violence.
The project’s aims are to identify barriers faced by DV victims in accessing social security, and to subsequently produce a set of materials to be used by NSSRN members to improve the information, support and advocacy that members provide to DV victims, as well as to advocate for policy reform.
This project is working towards the following UN Sustainable Development Goals four, five, eight, 10, 11 and 16.
Volunteer Legal Support for Refugees
UOW project leader
Dr Niamh Kinchin, School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law.
UOW partner - Professor Nan Seuffert, School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law.
Community partners
Wollongong City Council and Illawarra Multicultural Services.
Brief
This project aims to address the legal support needs of refugees within the Illawarra region through a structured volunteer program. This will include training for volunteers, local lawyers and UOW law students to assist refugee families with legal and administrative support. A handbook has been produced to assist volunteer staff and students.
This project is working towards the following UN Sustainable Development Goals one, four, eight, 10, 11 and 16.
Lou’s Place
UOW project leader
Dr Ruth Walker, UOW Learning Development.
UOW partner – Jacky Redgate, School of Creative Arts, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.
Community partner
Lou’s Place: a refuge for women in Kings Cross.
Brief
The book is a project to showcase the creative work of clients of Lou’s Place, a daytime women’s refuge in the heart of Kings Cross, a fifteen minute walk from UOW’s Sydney campus. The book has developed out of ten years of writing workshops and will be an important tangible reminder of the clients’ creative potential and abilities. It will also provide a template and process that would allow for ongoing publications by clients of Lou’s Place.
This project is working towards the following UN Sustainable Development Goals one, three, five, six, 10 and 16.