Sue West

Research Fellow, Community and Workforce Development Coordinator, McCaughey Centre, VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing

Telephone: +61 3 8344 3175
Facsimile: +61 3 9348 2832
Email: swest@unimelb.edu.au

For Sue West, community development is her way of life, professionally and privately. Sue is both a community activist and active in her communities, working for change in many ways, at many levels.

Through her work with local government and the non-government sector, Sue has worked to challenge the causes of disadvantage experienced by groups of people and by communities. These practical experiences have informed her more theoretical work in academic research, writing and teaching, as well as strategy and policy development. She has for many years also served on numerous committees and advisory boards.

Throughout, Sue has been motivated  by a deep commitment to social inclusion and connectedness, areas that are central to the McCaughey Centre’s work program.

“I’ve always worked with communities where there has been significant exclusion. Sometimes that has been in the form of racism, homophobia, poverty or in the form of social isolation, whether that’s among unemployed people or mothers at home alone.

"So I’ve always been aware of the detrimental impact of that on community wellbeing."

Her passion for community activism started while she was a university student, sparked by the subject women’s studies. "It really opened my eyes to understanding and seeing inequities and how they’re played out in structures in ways that contribute to inequalities."

Her work at the McCaughey Centre includes developing applied research projects that involve partnerships with other organisations. Sue also works on capacity building, by using the Centre’s research to create useful resources, such as short courses and seminars, to support those working in policy and practice.

Sue’s current policy and research interests include:

• Community strengthening
• Community participation in policy-making processes
• Intersection between policy for place and non-place focused population groups such as CALD, Indigenous, GLBTI, young people and people with a disability
• University and community engagement

Qualifications

Master of Arts, (Social Policy), RMIT, 1995
Bachelor of Arts, Phillip Institute of Technology, 1988

Work history

Sue West’s career roles have included lecturer, researcher and community development manager. Most of her experience has been gained in local government, the non government sector and tertiary institutions.

• 2004-2006: Research Fellow – Community Strengthening, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives (ICEPA), Victoria University
• 2003-2004: Lecturer, Victoria University
• 2003-2005: Community Development Consultant
• 1992-2006: Guest Lecturer, numerous universities and TAFE Colleges
• 1991-2003: Community Development Officer, Maribyrnong City Council
• 1991-1994: Community Development Consultant
• 1990-1992: Regional Resource Worker, North West Neighbourhood House Collective
• 1989-1990: Centre Coordinator,  Robinson Reserve Neighbourhood House
• 1987-1988: Women’s Officer, Phillip Institute of Technology Student Union
• 1986-1987: Research Assistant, Latrobe University

Community involvement highlights

• A Fairer West: Partnership of Networks convenor
• Victoria University Community Building Network convenor
• Community and Social Planners Network (CASPN)
• Maribyrnong Community Building Advisory Committee
• Braybrook and Maidstone Social Development Committee
• Co-chair Rainbow Families Council Victoria
• Fertility Access Rights Lobby member,
• Moderator of Rainbow Families, Victoria
• President, Numdaji Kwui Children’s Centre, Bundoora
• Management Collective member, Association of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres
• Coburg Neighbourhood House Network convenor
• North West Neighbourhood House Collective
• Human Service Workers Activist Forum
• Western Region Housing and Homelessness Strategy Team member
• Western Region Housing and Homeless Network convenor
• Domestic Violence in the North West Coalition convenor
• Consultative Committee of Women on Leisure and Recreation
• North East CASA Committee of Management
• Co-founding member Women on Campus, Victorian Universities Network
• Co-founding member Network of Women Students in Australia
• Co-founding member National Union of Students
• Victorian Students Union

Recent publications

With Wiseman, J. and Bertone, S. ‘Mainstreaming Change: Learning from Community Strengthening in Victoria’, Just Policy Sept 2006

‘A Fairer West: Developing a Social Change Research Partnership’, Australian University Community Engagement Association, July 2006

‘Opportunities for the Neighbourhood House Sector to Partner with the Victorian State Government Discussion Paper’, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2006

‘Community Strengthening Knowledge and Skills Strategic Directions Discussion Paper’, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2005

‘Beyond the Community Building Resource Service: Supports and Resources Needed to Continue Building Capacity for Community Strengthening in Victoria’, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2005

‘A Fairer West: Challenges And Opportunities’, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2005

‘Building New Communities’, Submission to the Outer Suburban/Interface Services and Development Committee Inquiry into Building New Communities, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2005

‘Building Community Strengthening Capacity and Skills in Victoria Discussion Paper’,  Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2005

‘Re-Igniting Community in Melbourne’s West: a Western Region Community Cultural Development Project.’ Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2005

With Frazzetto B, and Robinson T, ‘University/Community Partnerships that Strengthen Communities’, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2004

‘From Strength to STRENGTH’, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2004

‘Strengthening the Capacity of Culturally Diverse Community Groups in Melbourne’, Institute for Community Engagement and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2004

‘Housing and Homelessness Advocacy in the Western Region
Discussion Paper’, July 2004

Recent consultancies

The Department for Victorian Communities, the Department of Human Services, the Association of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres, and various individual NGOs and local governments.