Human Services Needs Analysis
Snapshot
The Human Services Needs Analysis aims to identify emerging priorities for human service
provision within the City of Whittlesea. This snapshot presents the key findings and
recommendations of the Human Services Needs Analysis survey that was conducted between
March and October 2013. The 63 human service agencies and 13 Council survey responses have
provided valuable insight into current service demand and emerging trends. It investigates the
challenges facing service providers and issues of the highest concern for the municipality.
Key findings
The findings of this survey highlight that the majority of agencies are struggling to keep up with
demand. The main impacting factors include:

high population growth

increasing complexity of needs

insufficient infrastructure creating access issues

increasing diversity of community population groups and

a lack of funding/resources.
The changing demographics of clients identified by service providers through the survey clearly
reflect the changing demographics of residents in the municipality identified by statistical profile
in this report.
The major findings of the survey are as follows:

44.7% of respondents provide services solely for the City of Whittlesea catchment area.

85.1% of respondents have noticed an increase in demand over the past three years for
the services they currently provide or requests for relevant services which they currently do
not provide.

Of those who reported an increased demand on services in the last 3 years, only 28.6% have
the capacity to meet the demand from residents of the City of Whittlesea.

56.7% of service providers keep waiting lists and 55.2% of service providers refer clients to
similar services to manage unmet demand.

61.1% of service providers state that more staff would enable them to fully address service
demand. Other methods to address service demand include:
-
more outreach capacity (36.1%)
-
more space (30.6%)
-
better public transport access to and from the service (30.6%)
-
increased hours of operation (18.1%)

48% of respondents reported that staff in their organisation had difficulty in referring
clients in Whittlesea to appropriate services. 81.8% of service providers state that lack of
service availability in Whittlesea or surrounding areas and 66.7% of service providers state
that the inability of other services to accommodate more clients are the main difficulties in
referring clients.

74.7% of respondents have noticed a change in demographics over the past three years.
The main changes noticed were greater complexities of needs, increasing numbers of
emerging communities, more vulnerable & disadvantaged clients, increasing incidences of
drug & alcohol abuse and increased demand from people living in the newer estates.

52.9% of organisations have been able to accommodate the needs of the changing client
demographics.

87.5% of respondents have noticed emerging issues from their clients over the last three
years. These include financial hardship, development & population growth exceeding
infrastructure & service development, family stress, less affordable housing and a lack of
service reach.

72.9% of respondents have noticed emerging issues for human service delivery in the City
of Whittlesea over the last three years. Services need to be more client directed & flexible,
more geographically accessible, more culturally aware and are required to meet the needs of
new communities when the services are set up for established communities.

60% of respondents stated that there are specific groups within the municipality that do
not access their services even though they might need to. The most common groups not
accessing services are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) and culturally and
linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
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The context of Human Service Delivery
It is important to consider the following impacts on human service delivery in the municipality:
The City of Whittlesea:

Is a large municipality with distinct communities
The municipality covers 490km2and comprises of rural, established and growth areas.

Is experiencing significant liveability challenges
The challenge of distance from employment, services, infrastructure and social supports is
exacerbated because of a significant lack of public investment. The current infrastructure lag
is estimated at $9.8 billion across the outer suburbs.1



Is a significant growth area
o
Estimated 161 residents moving into the CoW every week2
o
Forth fastest growing municipality in Victoria3
o
Third largest growing municipality in Victoria (an increase of 8,402 residents in 2013) 3
o
Seventh largest growing municipality in Australia.3
Population is growing across the service age groups
o
Average of 58 children born per week 4
o
The number of births per week has increased by 47% in five years 2 and projected to
grow to 74 births per week by 2019 (3,881 births per year)
o
Largest growth by age groups is estimated to be 70-84 year olds (64%), followed by 5-11
year olds (54%) and 0-4 year olds (51%) over next ten years (2014 to 2024).2
Is socially economically diverse with areas of significant disadvantage
o
One of the highest levels of overall social disadvantage (the fifth most disadvantaged
Local Government Area (LGA) in Metropolitan Melbourne)
o
One of the most socio-economically disadvantaged suburbs in Victoria, Thomastown/
Lalor5
o
One of the least socio-economically disadvantaged suburbs in Victoria, Mernda/
Doreen.3
1
Inquiry into Liveability Options in Outer Suburbs p128-9
Forecast.id (2014), City of Whittlesea Population Forecasts, http://forecast.id.com.au/whittlesea, accessed
February 2014
3
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011
4
CoW, Maternal and Child Health Registered Births, 2013
5
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011
2
3


Has a changing education, employment and economic profile
o
54,281 local jobs3
o
Increased number of residents with post-secondary school qualifications6 and 7
o
Increased proportion of residents employed in managerial and professional positions as
well as clerical positions.6
o
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population increased by 279 people (25%) between
2006-20116
o
Migrants from more than 140 countries6
o
Number of people born overseas increased by 11,266 or 28%, and the number of people
from a non-English speaking background increased by 9,903 or 27% between 2006 and
2011.6
Human services sector is facing significant Government reform

7
82,380 resident workers3
Is culturally and linguistically diverse

6
o
o
Federal Government is leading welfare reform.
o
State Government is acting on recent inquiry and implementing widespread reform of
community and human service provision.
o
National community services and human service providers are experiencing high levels
of unmet demand.
o
Housing availability and affordability, mental health services and emergency relief are
top priorities according to national service providers.
Demonstrates a high level of partnership among local human service providers
o
Existing networks facilitate coordinated service planning, collaboration and advocacy
o
Including Whittlesea Community Futures Partnership, Early Years Partnership,
Whittlesea Youth Commitment, Whittlesea CALD Communities FV Project and the
Family Violence Taskforce.
Profile id, (2014), City of Whittlesea Community Profile, http://profile.id.com.au/whittlesea, accessed February 2014
City of Whittlesea, Annual Household Survey (2013), Department of Organisation Improvement, Research Unit.
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Conclusion
The majority of agencies which provide services for the City of Whittlesea residents are
struggling to keep up with demand and some residents are going without access to the services
they need. The main factors include high population growth, increasing complexity of needs,
inability of access to services due to insufficient infrastructure, increasing diversity of residents
requiring services and a lack of funding/resources. The changing demographics of clients
identified by service providers through the survey clearly reflect the changing demographics of
residents in the municipality.
Recommendations
In response to the key findings the Human Services Needs Analysis 2013 it is recommended that
the City of Whittlesea:
1.
Continue and strengthen advocacy for services and infrastructure for agencies.
2.
Facilitate expansion of the service providers into the municipality.
3.
Develop processes to maximise the greater use of appropriate Council facilities for service
provision.
4.
Work with partners to develop innovative and collaborative service delivery models.
5.
Facilitate the further strengthening of the Whittlesea Community Futures Partnership.
6.
Inform strategic planning of human service providers through the timely provision of
growth projections and identified opportunities.
7.
Investigate more efficient ways of regular data collection of local human service provision
and demand.
8.
Investigate mapping of human service providers catchment and place based provision to
inform development of local human services strategy.
9.
Work in partnership to conduct mapping of current and future human services needs.
10.
Develop an implementation plan of the above recommendations and report on
achievements.
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Acknowledgements
Thank-you to all those Human Service Agencies and Council departments who completed the survey and
provided valuable data:
Yarra Plenty Regional Library
The Smith Family
Norparrin
Country Fire Authority
Kildonan UnitingCare
Annecto - the people network
Stride Foundation
Neami
Anglicare Victoria
Lalor Living and Learning Centre Inc
Whittlesea U3A Inc
Plenty Valley Community Health
Mill park family support group
Whittlesea Community Mental Health Centre
(WCMHC)
Whittlesea Community Connections
Creeds Farm Living & Learning Centre
Greensborough Family Relationship Centre
Elders Making a Difference P.A.G. Group
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Norparrin - a Program of MCM
Laurimar Kindergarten
COW Community Cultural Development
COW Leisure and Community Inclusion
COW Family and Youth
COW Aged and Disability
DHS Centrelink
Community Housing Ltd
LifeWorks Relationship Counselling
Victoria Police
Action on Disability within Ethnic communities
Victorian Women's Housing Association, trading
as Women's Property Initiatives
Royal District Nursing Service Limited
Commonwealth Respite & Carelink
Centre/Carerlinks North
Neurological Disability Support Inc (NDS)
The Salvation Army Crossroads Youth and Family
Services
Interchange Northern Region Inc
Authentic Community Training
EPIC Centre
Hume Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership
Mind Australia
Disability Justice Advocacy
Northern Community Options
Extended Families Australia
Headspace Northern Melbourne
Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault
Austin Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service
Catchment Youth Services
North East Neighbourhood House Network
Relationships Australia Victoria
Whittlesea Youth Commitment / Hume
Whittlesea Local Learning Employment Network
Family mediation & counselling Vic
Northern Family Violence service, Berry Street
Children's Protection Society
Link Community Transport
Nillumbik Health
Department of Human Services - North
CatholicCare
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
Northern Area Mental Health Services
Interact Australia
North East Housing Service
Aboriginal Housing Victoria
AMES Settlement
Housing Choices Australia
Women’s Health in the North
Hope St Youth and Family Services
Melbourne City Mission (Early Choices)
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Prepared by:
City of Whittlesea
Policy & Strategy Unit and Research Unit
March 2014
For more information please contact:
Belgin Besim
Executive Officer Policy and Strategy
Community Services, City of Whittlesea
(03) 9217 2128
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