Events - 10-Year Anniversary of the Swinburne Housing Courses
18–19 November 2004, Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Many thanks to:
- Telstra Dome for supplying eight giveaway tickets
to the one-day cricket international between Australia
and New Zealand on 5 December
- the Duxton Hotel, 328 Flinders St, and the Novotel,
16 The Esplanade, St Kilda, for each donating an
overnight accommodation voucher for two.
- Ernest and Hillier for supplying chocolates for
participants as well as thank you gifts for keynote
speakers and workshop facilitators
- the musicians at the reception, Jonathan Ashley
and Pip Avent.
Special thanks to the keynote presenters, the Victorian Director of
Housing and workshop facilitators for contributing too and making it
such a great occasion. And to all exhibitors as well as past and present
students and friends who made the occasion memorable.
Keynote presentations
- Professor Duncan Maclennan, Chief Economist, Victorian
Department of Sustainability and Environment, on "Reviving
Social Housing" (PDF, 640KB)
- Ms Helen Fulcher, CEO, Housing New Zealand, on "The
New Zealand Experience: Some Interesting Solutions" (PDF,
520KB)
 |
Helen Fulcher,
CEO of Housing New Zealand, addresses the 10-year
anniversary audience.
|
Planning group
Thanks to the ideas and efforts of the planning group and various others
who helped along the way with the event, including:
- Lyn Bayly, (Assistant Registrar) Manager, Student
Operations, SUT and her staff
- Amanda Chalmers, ATSI Division, Qld Department
of Housing, and graduate (from August 2004) and MC
- Shane Edmonds, Regional Manager, WA Department
of Housing and Works, and graduate and MC
- Mike Pelling, Principal, Business Development,
ISR
- Nicole Randall, Qld Department of State Development
and Innovation, and graduate (ex-officio from August
2004)
- Jan Sundberg, Manager, Community Housing Organisation
Services, SA Community Housing Authority and staff
- Robyn Timms, Student Liaison, ISR and ILO staff
- Linda Tolson, Project Manager, Training Unit, Tenancy
Services, Victorian Office of Housing and graduate.
Workshops
PDF files for download
Future of housing in Australia
Rent reforms?
Growing community housing
Housing policy –research links
Affordable housing
Allocations policy
- "Choice,
Diversity and Coordination: Improving Access to
Social Housing", Kath Hulse, Housing
Works–Parity, vol. 2, no. 2, November
2004, pp 17–18
Participants
gather round for workshop discussions.
|
|
Why the anniversary?
The aim of the anniversary was to:
- thank the industry for its continuing support and
participation
- provide an opportunity for student participation
and networking
- provide an opportunity for students to refresh
and update themselves on housing trends –informative
and interactive opportunities
- showcase student achievements and talent
- hold a graduation in one place of eligible students
and share that moment with other students and friends
- demonstrate a range of housing activity which students
are involved with, through exhibitions
- form a Swinburne housing alumni network
- enjoy a relaxed, friendly time with "colour
and movement".
 |
Exhibitors set up shop at the
event.
|
Event feedback
We have received many comments about the event, a sample of which are
below.
"It was a great occasion and an enjoyable event." ACT Director
of Housing
"Many thanks to you and your colleagues for organising such an
amazing forum for all of us to get to gather again, share information
and continue networking." Supported Housing Ltd
"A note to thank you for organising the 10 year celebration and
the graduation. It was good to catch up with a few colleagues and fellow
students as well as hear some contemporary commentary on housing policy
and housing issues. Also, the general organisation, venue, layout, program,
catering etc was of a very high standard. I have never been a keen participant
in rituals but enjoyed being part of the dress ups and the formal ceremony." Graduate
Queensland
graduates line up for recognition at the anniversary
celebrations.
|
|
"I enjoyed it ... and, yes, ... objective of making it unlike a
conference talk fest succeeded so well done ... most aim for this but
few succeed. I am always happy to support Swinburne and the ISR in particular.
The trade fair in 3 years sounds a great idea." Past Vic student
"... a big thanks ... for being so willing to assist the Forum.
Congratulations on a fantastic event!! Thanks also to your staff who
were incredibly helpful and efficient!" NCHF
"... I was delighted that those attending were so enthused. Well
done with the organising ... We are pleased meanwhile with interest in
jobs here arising from the display et al" CEO Housing NZ
"I want to thank you for a great program of workshops, presenters
and catering in a very suitable venue. I appreciated the organisation
and planning required behind the scenes for such an enjoyable and successful
event. Our interstate visitors enjoyed the show and a lot of camaraderie
developed between the participants. The opportunity to network with fellow
housing workers in other state housing authorities and New Zealand to
discuss various initiatives adopted by different housing authorities
was very useful. I loved the piper and choice of music at the graduation." Past
Vic student
"Congratulations on such a well organised and supported event." DVC
Swinburne
"You should be very pleased and proud. It was a great event and
I am sure that is very much down to your hard work." GM DoH Qld
"Just a short note to say how much I enjoyed the Swinburne ...
housing anniversary ... It was a terrific event and I certainly learnt
a lot and enjoyed my interaction with counterparts from other states
and the graduates and students ... who were present. Well done on an
outstanding two days, you should be proud of your achievements." GM
WA DHW
"Congratulations on Swinburne's 10 year celebration for the Housing
courses ... it was terrific!" NSW DOH Manager
"Just a short note to say thanks ... for organising a fantastic
couple of days in Melbourne. Once again, it was a real pleasure to be
able to make it over and join in the celebrations. An outstanding effort
from all those involved in organising this event." NZ student
"MANY thanks to ... the team who pulled this informative and inspiring
event together!! I had a terrific time and didn't expect to be quite
as excited as I was, once adorned in all the regalia ... The whole event
was a credit to you all ... Great opportunity to network, learn new ideas
and forge future working relationships. Thanks again for all your hard
work. You can be sure that it was worth every drop of blood, sweat, tears
and time.!!!" SA Graduate
"Thank you ... for the celebrations last week, we all had a great
time!!!" Current SA Student
"... congratulations to ... Swinburne on a wonderful celebration.
The event was thoroughly enjoyed by many." Past SA Student
"... glad to hear it went well." VicUrban
"The celebration was truly grand and I'm really honoured to be
given the opportunity to participate. I appreciate all the efforts taken
to make the occasion a great success." Vic Graduate
|
Victorians represent
the host state in the graduation ceremony.
|
"Congratulations ... on an excellent set up last week. I met old
faces and some new, and got heaps of interesting reading material." Past
Vic Student
"I still can't believe you did it! What a wonderful effort." Prof
David Hayward Swinburne
"Well done ... thanks for your support and going the extra mile
for us. [It] was a good event." Anite International
"... It was a real eye opener, about just how important the course[s]
is. And it ... was a great credit ... that the mood and feel of the thing
was so positive. Thank you for involving me in what I thought was a really
positive event" ISR PhD student
"I am really disappointed that I cannot make it, completing the
grad cert was one of the most significant things I have achieved that
I really continue to value. I wish you all well with the 10 year celebration,
I think it has professionalised the sector more than any other single
event, and been instrumental in making great professional connections
that continue to endure." Ken Marchingo CEO LMHS
"Congratulations ... on the anniversary. Who would have thought
back then ...?" Early NSW student
"Just a quick note to congratulate you all on the 10th anniversary
of Swinburne's housing courses. I am very sorry that no one from the
NSW Federation of Housing Associations can be present ... However, all
the staff particularly wanted to pass on their congratulations. We have
valued working with Swinburne in various ways and, of course, many of
our members are graduates. We all love to say we're leaders ... but there's
no doubt that the Swinburne course have been real ground breakers. So
congratulations again." Adam Farrar Executive Director NSW FHA
Supporting organisations
The major sponsors of the event are:
Swinburne University support includes:
- Alumni and Development
- Learning and Teaching Support
- Media Liaison
- Office of Industry Liaison
- Student Operations
Student housing stories and alumni
As part of the anniversary, student stories are being collected and
a Swinburne Housing Alumni formed.
- Click here for
more information on student stories, including samples
and a survey.
- To join the Housing Alumni download and complete
the Census and return –PDF file
or Word file.
Background
It is 10 years since Swinburne's then Centre for Urban and Social Research
(CUSR) rolled out a national program of courses in Housing Management
and Policy. The courses, which build on each other, consist of Graduate
Certificate, a Graduate Diploma and a Master's in Social Science.
The courses were developed after an 18-month period [1993–94]
of consultations in each state –territory in which 28 seminars
were held and around 700 staff of housing agencies spoken with about
a Swinburne proposal for housing education.
This initiative was prompted by a national study entitled 'Housing Studies:
Towards Vocational Training' AGPS 1990 which analysed the need for specific
housing education and made recommendations to implement such programs.
Ten years later, close to 1000 staff from housing agencies around Australia
and NZ, have participated in one of the courses. The courses have recently
been reconfigured with the support of the Victorian OoH, to take account
of changes to the knowledge and skills increasingly required of the social
housing work force. NZ entered the program in mid-2001 thus requiring
changes to course content, which takes account of their experience.
A further landmark occurred when we applied for and gained international
professional recognition by the UK Chartered Institute of Housing at
the end of 2001. This was done to benchmark the courses against international
standards.
Since inception tutorials have been maintained where threshold numbers
permit in the major capital cities, and annual residentials conducted
primarily in Melbourne. The latter have become national get-togethers
of students from across Australasia, adding a further dimension to the
learning programs. We have also conducted bi-annual graduations with
key stakeholders where the numbers have been sufficient to do so off-campus
and in several major cites.
A major impact for Swinburne has been a greater presence in social housing
policy and practice as well as in housing research. The establishment
of the Swinburne-Monash AHURI research centre was influenced by the housing
courses. A significant internal spin-off was the timely formation of
the larger, broader based Institute for Social Research. This entity
emerged from its forerunner the CUSR, primarily due to the success of,
and building on, the housing courses for the University. This also continues
a tradition of the CUSR, linking teaching with applied research.
Equally, alongside these institutional achievements, are those of the
staff and in particular the students.
Participation rates have remained high, well above the average across
the whole university system. This is in no small part due to the sponsorship
of state and territory housing authorities and community housing programs
across Australasia. And this support has been substantially sustained
and annually renewed. It is also reflected in the number of indigenous
students, we have had, more than expected especially in the Graduate
Certificate.
The upshot of all this effort is a national Swinburne housing 'family'
of both past and present students, something worth celebrating.
Contacts
For more information contact:
Swinburne:
Mike Pelling tel: 0416 174 823 or email: mpelling@swin.edu.au
Robyn Timms tel: [03] 9214 5566 or email: rtimms@swin.edu.au
OR
WA: Shane Edmonds tel: [08] 9344 0511
QLD: Amanda Chalmers tel: (07) 3224 6384
SA: Jan Sundberg tel: [08] 8207 0189
VIC: Linda Tolson; tel: [03] 9616 7584
|
