Communities of Change Report - Western Sydney Community Forum

Communities of Change

Western Sydney Now and Into the Future

Insights for Shaping the Delivery of Services

The Communities of Change Report is a joint initiative between the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW and Western Sydney Community Forum. The purpose of the Communities of Change Report is to provide insights on the changing landscape of Western Sydney to assist in making quality strategic decisions about future planning and investment in service delivery.

1

Setting the Scene

Blacktown

Blue Mountains

Camden

Campbelltown

Canterbury Bankstown

Cumberland

Fairfield

Hawkesbury

Liverpool

Parramatta

Penrith

The Hills

Wollondilly

Section 1 sets the scene and introduces the partnership and the purpose of the Report. It outlines the project scope and a framework for quality management and review.

Overview

Population Trends 2016

Section 2 focuses on examining broad-based and conventional population data, as well as data on priority population groups, to ascertain community trends and priorities across Western Sydney. This information provides a sound footing and an anchor for the Report.

Indicators of Wellbeing

Section 3 examines some of the key indicators of wellbeing and their prevalence across Western Sydney. This information provides an overview of key stress factors that may impact on community wellbeing, which assists in decision making for service priorities.

a bar chart that presents an overview of population forecasts and growth patterns across Western Sydney

Growth Landscape

Section 4 presents an overview of population forecasts and growth patterns across Western Sydney. It summarises population projections in actual numbers over a 20 year period and outlines the annual expected rate of growth in the context of these projections. This section shows expected population changes in coming decades, which is likely to increase demand for infrastructure and services in the future.

a map that describes the planning and policy context of Western Sydney. It identifies short and longer-term plans for urban development

Planning Landscape Overview

Section 5 describes the planning and policy context of Western Sydney. It identifies short and longer-term plans for urban development, infrastructure delivery and transport and is presented visually to illustrate expected changes in the community and urban footprint into the future.

Industry, Skill and Economic Landscape

Section 6 provides an overview of the industry, skill and economic landscape in Western Sydney. It reviews literature on the current and future landscape as well as employment and qualification data trends. This mixed approach enables a more nuanced view of the environment, providing both descriptive and predictive elements to better inform service planning and delivery.

Socioeconomic Landscape

Section 7 summarises the socioeconomic landscape of Western Sydney and provides an overview of place-based disadvantage, according to key indicators. This information supports a better understanding of the spatial concentration of disadvantage and enables the identification of priority locations across the region.

A bar chart of an indicative per capita investment in community services by the not-for-profit sector across each local government area

Indicative Community Services Investment

Section 8 provides an indicative per capita investment in community services by the not-for-profit sector across each local government area.

Health and Education Snapshot

Section 9 provides a snapshot of education and health facilities in the region, which enables an expanded understanding of investment in services that support communities. It also identifies local service providers and the potential for collaboration and partnerships, which may assist in future service planning and delivery.

10 Summary

Section 10 summarises and notes observations about the region and its local government areas. Firstly, it provides an overview of the region and its communities, noting the key characteristics and trends for consideration. It then describes the key features and considerations for each local government area, outlining priorities that could inform future service planning and delivery.