Sodalite Projects

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Sue, in collaboration with Gretchen Young of Young Futures, has been facilitating a series of workshops across Queensland. The workshops, involving representatives of the community housing and homelessness sectors, have been testing ideas and gathering input to inform new policy directions under the Department of Housing and Public Work's Partnering for Growth and Partnering for Impact frameworks.

Sodalite Projects, in collaboration with Rachel Healy Consulting, conducted research and consultation for Workability QLD to inform aspects of their NTSSS Strategy and Governance Project. The focus of this project was to provide strategic advice to industry and governments on matters related to the NDIS workforce in Queensland, including advice on skilling priorities, VET investment and improvements in the quality of training delivery to support the future NDIS workforce. 

Sodalite Projects developed a self-assessment tool for organisations that may be thinking of applying for grants under the NDIS ILC program to help them with the process of preparing for the application process and thinking about inclusion more broadly. This work was part of the broader Community Services Industry Alliance (CSIA) Inclusion Ready project.  

Sodalite Projects collaborated with Outpost Consulting and Young Futures to test interest in, and identify possible arrangements for, establishing local peer learning models to support local community organisations in business continuity planning in the face of natural disasters and other unexpected events. Sodalite Projects facilitated conversations with representatives of councils, Qld Government Departments and local community organisations in the Mackay and Whitsunday regions to identify interest, key stakeholders and possible peer learning approaches in order to formulate recommendations to CSIA about the best way to proceed with support work in these regions. 

Sodalite Projects conducted a series of facilitated conversations with staff of Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) and Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) as part of an evaluation of the Strengthening our Place project. The conversations explored the outcomes of the place-based approached used for the project, as well as the benefits, challenges and lessons learned from the unique government-community partnership model established between QCOSS and QFCC. The outcomes of the conversations were used to develop a guide for other government agencies and community organisations that may wish to consider using a similar model. 

Sodalite Projects worked with Brisbane Painting Classes to write and refresh content for their new website and continues to work with the studio, developing  artist profiles for new and upcoming workshops and classes.

Whilst at Ithaca Group, Sue Goodwin collaborated with Outpost Consulting to undertake research that investigated barriers and opportunities to the uptake of traineeships in the disability sector, as well as to examine other structured training pathways that support NDIS skills development and explore why these might be selected in favour of the traineeship option. The project involved both desk research and interviews with key informants, service providers, students, workers and other organisations involved in the delivery of traineeships. The project report has been published by Jobs Queensland, which was funding the project and responsible for acting on the recommendations.

Whilst at Ithaca Group, Sue Goodwin led the preparation of an evaluation report and recommendations on the effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness of the model for AASN providers that provide support services for the national apprenticeship system. A key part of the evaluation was to document and map the way the model currently works and to examine how the model aligned with the policy intent of AASN services and the apprenticeship system more broadly. The evaluation recommendations have led to the refinement of the AASN model ahead of the next tender round.

This project, also led by Sue whilst at Ithaca Group, set out to conduct research around the non-technical capabilities needed by secondary school graduates to successfully participate in work or further study.

The project involved consultation with a variety of stakeholder groups across all states and territories, including state education departments, school associations, parent associations and secondary schools themselves. Through a series of in-depth face to face and telephone interviews, focus groups and site visits, the project identified which capabilities are most appropriately developed in a school setting, as well as what might be realistically done in schools to develop, assess and/or recognise these capabilities and how employers can support and/or add to this. It also examined what secondary schools are currently doing to support students to develop these capabilities and identified where processes are already in place to assess and/or recognise them.

The project report, Everybody's Core Business, written by Sue, was published by the Department and continues to inform its thinking on how to prepare students for life beyond school.

Whilst at Ithaca Group, Sue Goodwin led the team that developed the Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (CSfW) that is now in national use across the Vocational Education and Training sector. 

This two-year project culminated in the release of a new framework that describes a set of non-technical skills, knowledge and understandings that underpin successful participation in work. The project involved consultation with more than 800 people from a broad cross-section of organisations and sectors that have an interest in and potential use for the Framework, including employers, industry peak bodies, and education and training, community and employment services sectors.

In addition to the Framework itself, a series of tools and resources were developed to assist practitioners and employers to understand and use the Framework.