INT101 Introduction to International Relations and Politics Essay Sample
Assignment Details
This assessment is about how government and non-government organisations work together to address Australia's growing community service needs.
In line with the ACWA list of community services, identify two vulnerable groups in need of community services in the local government area where you live (e.g., City of Perth, City of Sterling, Cabonne Shire Council, Flinders Shire, Maroondah City, etc).
Describe how government entities at the local, state, and federal levels collaborate with non-governmental organizations to meet the needs of your chosen vulnerable groups and discuss any weaknesses in services delivery.
? Students are expected to use at least five (5) current sources of literature (not more than 10 years old), including textbooks, scholarly articles, statistics, etc., to support the points.
? Use APA version 7 referencing and formatting style.
Solution
Addressing Community Service Needs in Brisbane City: A Collaborative Approach
Introduction
The need for effective integration of collaborative efforts by government and non-government agencies in addressing burgeoning community services needs in Greater Brisbane City cannot be overly exaggerated (Bajracharya & Khan 2020). In this exploration, we delve into the intricate tapestry of collaboration between different tiers of government and NGOs to effectively respond to the challenges faced by two vulnerable groups: the homeless populations, refugees as well as other migrants struggling with integration problems.
The latest statistics indicate that a whopping 15% increase has been observed in the homeless population of Brisbane within the last two years highlighting the urgency in dealing with this problem (Simpson Reeves et al 2022). At the same time, the city is rich culturally diverse accepting refugees as well as immigrants while encountering with integration difficulties. The paper examines the ways in which collaborative ventures at different governance levels are attending to these concerns and providing for the health and welfare needs of socially disadvantaged communities in Brisbane University assignment help.
Vulnerable Groups in Brisbane City
1. Homeless Individuals and Families: Homelessness in Brisbane City is growing rapidly, affecting people and their families in all groups. Unstable housing leads to many socially related problems that involve community service as their vital point (Coates & Molony 2022). The fact that in less than a span of two years, homelessness rates for Brisbane has risen by 15% is alarming and it necessitates immediate addressal.
2. Refugees and Migrants Facing Integration Challenges: Brisbane is culturally diverse city; it accepts the refugees and migrants (Colic-Peisker, Khawaja & Hebbani 2020). The process of integration has its own difficulties such as language barrier, adaptation to new cultures and availability of necessities on part of immigrants. NGOs state that there is an increase in demand for language services as well as psychological and job support due to an additional wave of refugees coming from combat zones.
Local Level Collaboration
In order to address the growing demand for community service, the Brisbane City Council has been leading the way in strategic partnerships with not-for-profit or non-government organizations at the local level. A prime example of this collaboration is the "Homelessness Action Plan," an important initiative that carefully collaborates with neighbourhood NGOs to offer both short-term (like shelters and counselling) and long-term (like job help programmes) aid (Bajracharya & Khan 2020). The joint efforts go beyond providing quick respite. The monetary assistance of Brisbane City Council makes it easier for non-governmental organisations to develop and maintain local cultural centres. These centres offer language instruction, cross-cultural initiatives, and job recruitment assistance, making them vital centres for integration help (Hebbani, Colic-Peisker & Mackinnon 2018). The observable decrease in street homelessness in some regions is indicative of the efficacious results resulting from coordinated cooperation at the local level.
Additionally, the council's and NGOs' mutually beneficial cooperation promotes an atmosphere that is flexible and innovative. This partnership guarantees that community services remain responsive to the changing needs of vulnerable people in various neighbourhoods by means of frequent forums and feedback systems. This localized approach adds a layer of responsiveness, tailoring interventions to the unique socio-economic dynamics of diverse pockets within Brisbane City.
State Level Collaboration
The coordination of activities to fulfil community service requirements in Brisbane City is mostly the responsibility of the Queensland state government. In order to address homeless people, initiatives like the "Queensland Housing Strategy" provide funds for shelters for the homeless people, social initiatives, and psychological services. Notwithstanding these endeavours, obstacles endure, particularly in rural regions where service accessibility is restricted (Kraatz 2018). Partnerships between NGOs and state governments also concentrate on employment preparation and learning languages for immigrants and refugees. NGOs get assistance to improve their ability to offer these vulnerable populations with critical services through grants and cooperative projects (Bajracharya & Hastings 2018). However, waiting lists and delays in service delivery result from the fact that the demand for services frequently exceeds the supply of resources.
Federal Level Collaboration
The federal government contributes to community service needs in Brisbane City through various channels. The "National Homelessness Agreement" provides funding to states, including Queensland, to address homelessness. In Brisbane, this translates to increased resources for emergency accommodation, mental health services, and long-term housing solutions (Pawson et al 2018). Despite federal support, the city continues to grapple with an insufficient supply of affordable housing, contributing to the persistence of homelessness.
For refugees and migrants, federal initiatives like the "Settlement Services Program" support NGOs in Brisbane City. This program aids in the provision of language services, employment support, and community engagement activities to facilitate successful integration (Chen et al 2019). However, there is a need for increased federal funding to meet the growing demands of an expanding refugee and migrant population.
Strengths of Collaboration
The federal government complies with Brisbane City's request for community service in a variety of ways. One of the states that will be receiving funding as part of the "National Homelessness Agreement" to reduce the number of homeless people and joblessness is Queensland. More financing for long-term housing choices, mental health services, and crisis lodgings in Brisbane is correlated with this (d'Abrera 2018). Even with assistance from the government, the city still faces a shortage of affordable housing, which exacerbates the persistent issue of homelessness.
Federal programmes such as the "Settlement Services Programme" help NGOs in Brisbane City that work with refugees and migrants. In order to encourage effective integration, this programme helps with language services, job support, and community participation initiatives (Wilding & Nunn 2018). To address the escalating needs of a burgeoning migrant and refugee population, more government financing is necessary.
Weaknesses in Service Delivery
However, the service delivery system is faced with a number of challenges. A significant issue is inequitable allocations of resources in particular parts of Brisbane City where there are more cases of homelessness and fewer support services compared to other areas of Brisbane. This implies that there is a necessity for tailor-made interventions aimed at addressing regional differences in vulnerabilities (Coates & Molony 2022). Non-uniformity in provision of services increases social injustices and hinders the city’s development towards full community coverage.
Finally, bureaucracy also poses problems that make it difficult to implement programs at every level of the government. The fact that delays occur in fund allocation as well as a lack of proper cohesion between governmental institutions with NGOS undoubtedly obstructs service delivery to beneficiaries on time. Accessing both funds as well as other resources in this context is tedious and often leads to disparity between policy intent and actual occurrences.
Recommendations for Improvement
More effective coordination procedures among the various levels of government are required to solve these shortcomings. This entails consistent channels of communication, expedited financing procedures, and collaborative planning meetings to guarantee a cohesive and effective approach to community service requirements (Jiaxuan et al 2021). Comprehensive needs evaluations should be carried out by local governments to pinpoint particular issues in various neighbourhoods, enabling an even more individualised and fair allocation of funds. This strategy guarantees that households and people with vulnerabilities, wherever they may be in Brisbane City, receive sufficient help.
Additionally, bureaucracy processes need to be streamlined for NGOs and their administrative burden needs to be reduced. This might include the creation of a common portal through which funding requests can be made and a uniform reporting scheme (Esmaeilpoorarabi et al 2020). The implementation of these changes would accelerate the provision of resources, ensure transparency, and promote accountability within this sector.
Conclusion
In conclusion, working together with non-governmental organization forms significant contribution towards meeting community services needs in Brisbane City. However, strengths on system still leave some areas for improvement. The measures should however address weaknesses and implement recommendations so that Brisbane can be a city where vulnerable populations are cared for.
References
Bajracharya, B., & Hastings, P. (2018). A regional, strategic growth-management approach to urban and peri-urban development in south east Queensland, Australia. Journal of Regional and City Planning, 29(3), 210-233. https://research.bond.edu.au/files/28898799/7226_27481_1_PB.pdf
Bajracharya, B., & Khan, S. (2020). Urban governance in Australia: a case study of Brisbane City. New urban agenda in Asia-Pacific: governance for sustainable and inclusive cities, 225-250. https://www.academia.edu/download/78648428/978-981-13-6709-0_8.pdf
Chen, W., Wu, S., Ling, L., & Renzaho, A. M. (2019). Impacts of social integration and loneliness on mental health of humanitarian migrants in Australia: Evidence from a longitudinal study. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 43(1), 46-55. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023001644
Coates, B., & Molony, J. (2022). The national housing and homelessness agreement needs urgent repair. https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Grattan-Institute-Submission-to-the-PC-review-of-the-NHHA.pdf
Colic-Peisker, V., Khawaja, N., & Hebbani, A. (2020). Parent-child engagement and dissonance in refugee families resettling in Brisbane, Australia. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 20(3), 44-58. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/197339/1/39394536.pdf
d’Abrera, C. (2018). Dying with their rights on: the myths and realities of ending homelessness in Australia. https://www.cis.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/rr38.pdf
Esmaeilpoorarabi, N., Yigitcanlar, T., Kamruzzaman, M., & Guaralda, M. (2020). How can an enhanced community engagement with innovation districts be established? Evidence from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Cities, 96, 102430. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/132119/2/132119.pdf
Hebbani, A., Colic-Peisker, V., & Mackinnon, M. (2018). Know thy neighbour: Residential integration and social bridging among refugee settlers in Greater Brisbane. Journal of Refugee Studies, 31(1), 82-103. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1btzy4rraIs2j3eCxnhotHG1beDb-AUc-/view
Kraatz, J. A. (2018). Innovative approaches to building housing system resilience: A focus on the Australian social and affordable housing system. Australian Planner, 55(3-4), 174-185. https://sbenrc.com.au/app/uploads/2019/07/JKraatz-APlanner-July-2019.pdf
Pawson, H., Parsell, C., Saunders, P., Hill, T., & Liu, E. (2018). Australian homelessness monitor 2018. https://www.academia.edu/download/56567072/FINAL_for_print_AHM_full_report.pdf
Simpson Reeves, L., Clarke, A., Kuskoff, E., & Parsell, C. (2022). Fulfilling and desperately needed: Australian media representations of responses to homelessness. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 57(4), 783-797. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajs4.201
Wilding, R., & Nunn, C. (2018). Non-metropolitan productions of multiculturalism: refugee settlement in rural Australia. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 41(14), 2542-2560. https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/621958/1/Wilding%20%20Nunn%20%27Non-metropolitan%20productions%20of%20multiculturalism%27%20%28accepted%20version%29.pdf
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