Johnson_H_Forming community in a context of growth in population and diversity

Building Community In a context of rapid growth in Population & Diversity in the City of Wyndham

Role of Local Government

Local Government Functions

Infrastructure Provision Roads, Drains (Local) Open Space and Recreation Community and Civic Buildings

Planning and Regulation

Services

Community Supports/Development

Governance

Advocacy

Population Growth

Growth in Population

108795

123778

143405

166699

187788

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

Population

Growth in organisation

0 500 1000 1500

2005/6

2007/8

2009/10

2011/12

2012/13

Total Headcount

Total EFT

People

Higher proportions of residents aged under 18, and 25 to 49 years old

68 babies born each week in 2011/12

Ancestry English or Australian ancestries: 49%

Other significant ancestries:

Indian, Maltese and Filipino

1503 migrants to Wyndham in 2012

49% as skilled migrants

About 200 humanitarian visa

Mandarin, Karen and Italian most common non-English languages spoken

People (cont…)

% of households experiencing housing stress in 2011:

Wyndham: 25

Metro Melbourne : 20

Unemployment

2006 - 5.4%

2011 – 6.3%

Reported incidents of family violence for the 2010-2011 period:

810 recorded incidents per 100,000 population

People (cont…)

% who are managers and other professional is rising

Wyndham: 27.7

Metro Melbourne: 36.6

Over half of Wyndham residents Work outside of the municipality

Nearly 75% drive to work

Over 25% of residents spend two or more hours each day travelling between work and home

Wyndham municipality

Infrastructure Provision Established agriculture and vegetable growing; RAAF; Treatment Plant;

Melbourne Water; ocean Established industrial (Laverton) Freight, Vline and Regional Rail Strong developer influence on housing stock

Planning and Regulation

State Govt growth boundary extensions and population targets Fast growth, developers and state government strong stakeholders

Services

Council is largest provider of services Small NFP presence

Local Government Functions in Wyndham

Wyndham municipality

Community Supports/Development Insufficient infrastructure at affordable rates Emerging communities – not one ‘average’ Seifa index average 1013.4, with lowest 874.6 and highest 1092.8 (9 above

and 9 below Aus av of 1002)

Governance Time poor individuals and families

Advocacy

Traffic Congestion and development of road and other State/Federal infrastructure eg schools

Local Government Functions in Wyndham

Definition of Community

1 Group of people living in the same place or having a

particular characteristic in common

A group of people living together and practising common ownership

A body of nations or states unified by common interests

The people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the context of social values and responsibilities

Oxford Dictionaries – in part

2

The condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common

What do we know of Community? John Bowlby (2000, p283-4): Diminution in social and community involvement due to: Time and money pressures – 10% Suburbanisation and community – 10% Electronic entertainment – 25% Generational change and ‘TV generation’ – 50%

Wyndham in 2013: Time pressured families (2hrs commuting; mortgage stress) Almost 79,000 or 58% of the population arrived in the last 8 years –

42% of the population experienced dramatic change Traffic congestion dramatically increased Social media influence growing Interest based groups multiplying – cultures, faiths, sport

Building Community?

1. Community Infrastructure

2. Community Strengthening

3. Community Decision making

4. Advocacy

Elements of Community Building

1. Community Infrastructure – Place making

State Government (GAA etal)

Developer Contributions

Community facility stakeholders

Building Community? Elements of Community Building

Cross department and

stakeholder collaboration

Building Community? Elements of Community Building

2. Community Strengthening

Community leadership and governance

Council community grants and volunteer programs

Service Provision

Community and Council

department collaboration

Building Community? Elements of Community Building

3. Community Decision making

Engagement methodologies Council and community

collaboration

Building Community? Elements of Community Building

4. Advocacy

Local Gov support/campaigns

Community and Council

collaboration – to State/Federal

How to Build Community?

Community Infrastructure Development Negotiating space allocations in new facility development MCH, kinders, recreation ovals, connective paths, arts, etc. Regulation influences – changes without notice – e.g. 15hrs

kinders

Community Infrastructure Implementation Colocation or integrated service provision? Competitive environment (EOI to access) Negotiating space allocations in context of continuous demand

Prioritise Council service, community use, growing groups or new?

Physical Infrastructure – (Built Form)

How to Build Community?

Forms of community groups Community Service Organisations (charities, not for profits) Community based groups (associations and affiliations)

Committees of management Arts and Culture Culture based groups

Service Organisations Faith Groups Recreation and Sporting groups Policy dilemmas:

Policy for access to physical infrastructure and community grants – who to prioritise?

Sharing of resources Annual infrastructure provision or longer term? Facilitate individual cultural identities or broader community identity?

Social Infrastructure – (People Connection)

How to Build Community?

Bowlby (2000, p339-341): Advantages of local volunteer associations:

Civic skill building, develop democratic habits, participation in civic life, social connectedness and reciprocity, self esteem

Risks of local volunteer associations:

Single interests, potential extremism, homogenous ideological views, anti-democratic

Local Government through allocation of resources and planning decisions

influence the strength of individual groups

Political processes in turn influence Local Government

Role of Organisations/Groups

How to Build Community?

Local Government Organisations Multiple Services Multiple Professions and Skills Traditionally arranged hierarchically

ALGA, quoted by Frank Hornby (2012):

… various council departments still continued a singular and specialised approach to policy and services planning and in a manner that had only a basic relationship to other council departments

In any locality, there are a myriad of services and programs being delivered by the three spheres of government, their agencies and the wider community. Often these services are poorly coordinated and integrated, resulting in gaps and overlaps in service delivery and the inappropriate or untimely provision of facilities (p353)

Organisational Processes

How to Build Community?

Initiatives to address Organisational Barriers Leadership Development Program

Encouraging cross-organisational collaboration

Integrated Planning Group

Developing integrated service model for community centres

Community Engagement Skill Development Encourage decision making based on community involvement, rather than ‘for

the community’

Local Area Planning Plan new infrastructure based on local profile and engagement

Wyndham Organisation

Building Community in Wyndham

Context of: Local Government Role and Function Rapid Growth in Population, Diversity and Organisation Pressures on community both societal and arising from the changes

City of Wyndham is: Planning physical and social infrastructure with key stakeholders Seeking stronger engagement with local community groups and organisations to

influence the community building Addressing its own organisational processes to break down barriers and achieve

more integrated planning Striving to build diverse, thriving communities which deliver the benefits

community life and strengthen local democracy

heather.johnson@wyndham.vic.gov.au

References: John Bowlby, Bowling Alone, Touchstone 2000 Frank Hornby, Australian Local Government and Community Development, Australian Scholarly Publishing Pty Ltd, 2012