LA Trobe University’s Shepparton campus celebrated a major milestone at its graduation ceremony last week, with the conferral of its first industry-based PhD.
Yvonne Burns graduated with a doctorate developed in partnership with FamilyCare, highlighting the growing role of regional research partnerships in driving impact.
Dr Burns’ research revealed how fragmented information systems can create significant and often unseen manual work for community service staff, taking time away from direct client care.
Working closely with FamilyCare staff, Dr Burns identified these barriers and helped develop a more streamlined reporting framework, alongside practical tools to support future system improvements across the sector.
“This was something that might sound pretty boring, which is about getting all your reporting in one place, so that when you want a number, you can get the number, and the number is the same the next day and it’s accessible,” said Dr Burns.
“There’s actually some incredible barriers to people … being able to get that data and information,” she said. “The research was about how hard it was, and asking why, and then exploring why this is so difficult for people who actually want to get on and do the work.”
The project demonstrates the value of locally embedded research, where partnerships between universities and community organisations deliver practical solutions to regional challenges.
David Tennant, former FamilyCare CEO, said the research helps solve a longstanding problem for agencies.
“When I started the organisation in 2010, for about 10 years the one thing that used to drive me mad was whenever anybody asked me how many people are you assisting at any given moment, it was an impossible question to answer quickly, because we had half a dozen different funding streams, three or four levels of government, all of them collecting information in a slightly different way, which meant that for us to answer such a basic question was nigh on impossible.
“Yvonne has helped with a mapping system to do that. It’s more than just validating the work that people do. It’s also saying to the folks who seek services from agencies like FamilyCare, your information won’t be lost in a great black box that is only of relevance to the government.”
The project was supported by local philanthropist Vaughan Bradshaw through the Bradshaw Family Initiative.
“The concept of having a data set, one set of data that helps provide, takes away a lot of the admin work and gives people meaningful numbers around what outcomes they’re having; streamlining that empowers people in an organisation,” said Mr Bradshaw.
“Providing services to the community is incredibly complex, and the data you get is not straightforward,” he said. “It also flows into getting funding. Having clear data allows greater ability to create consistent funding, and for me that’s something that resonated.”
La Trobe Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Sue Bennett said the milestone underscored the university’s commitment to expanding research opportunities in regional Australia.
The ceremony also recognised students who have balanced study with significant life commitments, including valedictorian Amanda McDonald.
Amanda completed her Masters of Business Administration online through La Trobe while working full-time, supporting a family member through cancer treatment and caring for four nieces and nephews during the COVID pandemic.
Amanda now works as a Senior Project Lead in the early years department at Greater Shepparton City Council. She said the flexibility of online study, combined with access to campus support was key to her success.
Like Amanda, Bachelor of Nursing graduate Sarah Minotti balanced course requirements with full-time work and family responsibilities. At one point, she juggled three jobs while completing her degree.
“I have worked in the medical admin sector since I finished high school and always wanted to do nursing but never felt it was the right time, especially while my kids were little,” Sarah said.
“I decided to take a chance and go back to studying. Having La Trobe in Shepparton made that easier to achieve.” She is now completing hr graduate year at GV Health and hopes to further her education to become a critical care nurse.
