Thriving Communities

49 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (30 July 2015). Under the Thriving Communities agenda—

1. What opportunities have been identified in the southern Adelaide area?

2. What opportunities have been identified in the northern Adelaide area?

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers): I have been advised:

1. The primary object of the Thriving Communities initiative in the southern Adelaide region (known as Together in the South) is to improve the emotional and social wellbeing, and success, of over 6000 children aged between birth and eight years in Christie Downs, Huntfield Heights, Noarlunga Downs, O'Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale, Christies Beach, Hackham, Hackham West and Morphett Vale.

The Together in the South initiative particularly targets developmentally vulnerable children, who, according to the Australian Early Development Census, make up one third of the population in this age range.

The aim is to ensure 'Every child is safe, healthy, active, ready to learn and getting along with others'.

Together SA, a non-government organisation committed to leading collective impact approaches in South Australia to achieve population-level change, is actively supporting the Together in the South initiative.

2. In the northern Adelaide region, individual discussions with a range of local leaders indicate interest and support for Thriving Communities work at two levels:

a Playford-Salisbury wide strategy, in order to create change at scale;

together with

deep engagement in identified neighbourhoods.

The initial focus for engagement through these individual discussions with local leaders has been wellbeing and resilience spanning the 'early years to early careers'. While local leaders have supported this as an appropriate area of focus, they have also highlighted the need for community engagement to allow community members to raise other pressing areas of focus.

The Thriving Communities initiative in northern Adelaide will align closely with the development and implementation of the Northern Economic Plan (NEP). As part of this process, a broader community consultation process will be occurring with local residents and leaders (parents, sporting clubs, school governing council members etc.), young people, business, and agencies with a presence or service in northern Adelaide.

In addition, discussions are occurring with a range of stakeholders (Aboriginal community, young people, non-government sector and government) to build on the work started by the Northern Adelaide Solutions Group 2011-14 (a Closing the Gap partnership) to address long-standing community concerns about Aboriginal young people's engagement with the youth justice system.