Acknowledgements

This evidence-based resource has been developed by the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government for the Australian Human Rights Commission under the National Anti-Racism Strategy.

The Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government and the Australian Human Rights Commission would like to thank the following organisations represented in the project reference group for their insights and invaluable input into the project:

• Access Community Services
• Department of Social Services
• Australian Local Government Association
• Centre for Multicultural Youth
• City of Marion, South Australia
• Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia
• Migration Council of Australia
• National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
• NSW Police 
• Municipal Association of Victoria
• Rockdale City Council, NSW
• Scanlon Foundation
• Settlement Council of Australia
• Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth).

Images courtesy of: Australian Human Rights Commission; City of Greater Bendigo; Football United; 'Get Up, Speak Out' – City of Greater Dandenong; Hurstville Council; Joanne Kelly; Moonee Valley City Council; 'Say No to Racism' - City of Darebin; Welcoming Intercultural Neighbours.

Suggested citation: Australian Human Rights Commission (2015). Building social cohesion in our communities - An online resource for local government, prepared by the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government, the University of Technology Sydney. Available at: https://www.acelg.org.au/socialcohesion.

Resource list

Racism

Australian Human Rights Commission (n.d.). Racism. It Stops With Me.

Ferdinand, A., Paradies, Y. & Kelaher, M. (2013). Mental Health Impacts of Racial Discrimination in Victorian Aboriginal Communities: The Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) Experiences of Racism Survey. The Lowitja Institute, Melbourne.

VicHealth (2012). Mental health impacts of racial discrimination in Victorian Culturally and linguistically diverse communities: Experience of Racism survey: A summary.

Social cohesion

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012). Cultural Diversity in Australia: Reflecting a Nation: Stories from the 2011 Census.

Dandy, J. & Pe-Pua, R. (2013). Research into the Current and Emerging Drivers for Social Cohesion, Social Division and Conflict in Multicultural Australia. p.vii. Report prepared for: Joint Commonwealth, State and Territory Research Advisory Committee.

VicHealth (2014). Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) program: Summary report.

Measuring social cohesion

Community Indicators Victoria (n.d.). Home page.

Markus, A. (2014). Mapping Social Cohesion: The Scanlon Foundation Surveys 2014. Monash University, Melbourne. p.4.

Workplace diversity

Australian Human Rights Commission (n.d.). Workplace Cultural Diversity Tool.

Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (2015). Profile of the Local Government Workforce 2054 Report.

Municipal Association of Victoria (n.d.). Local Government Aboriginal Employment Framework.

Reconciliation Action Plans

Reconciliation Australia (n.d). Resources.

Community planning

The Growth Areas Social Planning Tool (n.d) Home page.

Australian Local Government Association, the National Heart Foundation of Australia & the Planning Institute of Australia (2013). Healthy Places and Spaces: Home page.

Cities of Migration (n.d.). Home page.

Department of Social Services (2014). Community Profiles.

Cultural competence

Australian Human Rights Commission: Social Justice Report: Chapter 4 Section 4.4: Cultural safety and security: Tools to address lateral violence: This resource helps understand the continuum of cultural competence and the characteristics of competence for individuals and organisations.

Walker, R., Schultz, C. & Sonn, C. (2014). Chapter 12: Cultural Competence – Transforming Policy, Services, Programs and Practice in Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H., Walker, R. (2014) Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice, 2nd edition. Telethon Kids Institute, Kulunga Aboriginal Research Development Unit, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia).

Community engagement

Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (2014). Online community engagement toolkit for rural remote and Indigenous councils.

Queensland Government (n.d.). Engaging Queenslanders: A guide to community engagement methods and techniques.

Queensland Government (n.d.). Engaging Queenslanders: An introduction to working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

Queensland Government (n.d.). Engaging Queenslanders: Introduction to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Youth engagement 

Centre for Multicultural Youth (2014). Everyday Reality: Racism and Young People.

Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network, Navitas English, AMES, the Multicultural Development Association and Margaret Piper and Associates (2014). Engage Respectfully with Young People (from Refugee Backgrounds).

Bystander action

Australian Human Rights Commission (n.d.). Racism – Tips for Bystanders.

Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission (2014). Bystander action.

Russell Z, Pennay D, Webster K & Paradies Y, 2013, Choosing to act: Bystander action to prevent race-based discrimination and support cultural diversity in the Victorian community, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Melbourne.

VicHealth (2013). Bystander action on preventing race-based discrimination.

Evaluation

NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (2004). Does Your Project Make a Difference? A guide to evaluation environmental projects and programs.

Queensland Government evaluation frameworks: Queensland Government (2011). Developing an evaluation framework.

VicHealth (2014). Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) program: summary report. LEAD program evaluation logic.