A seminar co-hosted by the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research and the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods

This seminar, presented by Greg Dresser and Eevon Chia from CareWest in Orange, will describe a range of research projects related to service delivery in regional New South Wales, a region with a large Aboriginal population. These projects cover topics such as access to community transport, telehealth and supporting older people to live independent lives.

CareWest is a community-based organisation founded in 1984 by a group of community leaders in Orange, NSW and supports more than 40 regional and rural communities. It delivers a diverse range of community services across the Central West, Orana Far West and Riverina Murray regions. Recent expansion has seen the delivery of CareWest services as far west as Broken Hill, and to the borders of Queensland and Victoria.

Since its inception slightly more than a year ago in March 2015, the Research and Innovation team have chosen to participate in research projects that have since been or will be implemented in practice.

Biographies

Greg Dresser

Dr Gregory (Greg) Dresser has over thirty years' experience in business, community development, and education. He has worked in Australia and the United Kingdom providing services and advice to community organisations, businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions.

Greg is teacher trained and has worked as a teacher in primary and secondary schools in Australia and the UK. He has also been a vocational education teacher for the past seven years and a university lecturer for the past five years.

Greg's Master of Business Administration focused on new business development and public sector administration, and his doctoral research examined the efficacy of publicly-funded small business advisory and training services.

He has held a wide variety of positions, including Development Manager with Sport England, Development Manager with the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation, Senior Manager of Contracts and Transactions with the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, and Manager of Small Business Development with the NSW Department of Trade and Investment.

In his current role as the Senior Manager of Research and Evaluation, Greg is actively involved in research, managing projects and workforce reform initiatives in the human and community services sector. He manages a professional team of research staff and works closely with the Board and Executive to improve service delivery across the sector.

Greg's professional affiliations include:

• Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management (FAIM).
• Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
• Member of the Australasian Evaluation Society.
• Member of Charles Sturt University's Faculty of Business Health Services Research Area.
• Member of the Western NSW Health Research Network.
• Adjunct Lecturer in the School of Management and Marketing at Charles Sturt University.
• Justice of the Peace (NSW)

Eevon Chia

Dr Eevon Chia completed her doctoral research in 2015 examining the response of older adults to a bout of exercise in ambient and hot, humid environments. Her research also observed the effect of age and exercise training on the development of fatigue.

Prior to embarking on her doctoral studies, Eevon conducted military physiology research with the Singapore Police Force and the Naval Diving Unit in her capacity as a researcher with the Defence Science Organisation National Laboratories (Singapore).

Her current role in CareWest as a Manager of Research and Evaluation sees her directly involved with creating links within the Orange community between older individuals, interest groups and service organisations. She has also been involved in research initiatives in telehealth and played a key role in CareWest's involvement in the National Aged Care Quality Indicator Programme for home care.

Eevon has a keen interest in the ageing population and is a member of the Australian Association of Gerontology.