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How to Encourage Community Change

How can you use social science to encourage communities to change collective behaviours? We cover how to identify a behaviour that needs to change, how to target the key audience, how to encourage change, and the best mode of communication to reach the intended community. The provided check list will help you communicate effectively with local communities.

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How to Improve Record-Keeping

Organisations can improve their record-keeping by adopting a systematic approach, and using techniques developed through social science research. Discover tips for small businesses and not-for-profit organisations on how to document important decisions, understanding legal obligations, and keeping records safe.

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Encouraging Referrals

This post provides tips for improving public health communications. I show examples from studies that encouraged doctors to comply with health guidelines. I discuss a case study of a health organisation that sought to increase patient referrals to a free treatment program.

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Reaching Your Audience

I reflect on how to tell a good story that takes into consideration different social groups, inequity, and power relations. I also provide tips about how to measure the impact of a good story.

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People swinging mid-air in the 'Nitro,' a carnival ride at the Perth Royal Show

Safety Planning

Social science can encourage businesses to comply with safety regulations. This is a case study showing how to encourage community organisations to submit event safety planning information in a timely manner. We cover how to encourage early planning, showing the benefits of complying with safety information requests, targeting messages, and using trusted messengers.

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How to Improve Services for Vulnerable Clients

Governments and companies provide a range of free services to improve the lives of vulnerable clients, yet few people take these up. Below is an overview of why this happens and how to improve take-up of life-saving services.  

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Race, Welfare, and COVID-19

The new book chapter, ‘Critical Race Studies and Intersectionality Responses to COVID-19,’ presents a case study of how the welfare state exercises multiple domains of power to maintain racial inequality, even during the public health crisis of COVID-19. Read the abstract and an excerpt below.

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Messages to Change Behaviour

Here are some tips on how to send effective SMS campaigns.

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Improving Diversity and Inclusion

A project exploring the recruitment experiences of people with disability led to a trial that significantly increased disability awareness training. Here are the lessons that might help other organisations seeking to enhance diversity and inclusion initiatives.

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Public Health Compliance

Most public health programs focus on educating the public, but this doesn’t always lead to behavioural change. In order to encourage change, this information should focus on short, clear messaging about what people need to do on the spot (call to action).

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