The University has responsibility under the University of South Australia Act 1990 to provide programs for disadvantaged groups within the community. The University aspires to build the capacity and resilience of the communities in which we work through innovative, collaborative and enterprising activities. The University of South Australia Northern Adelaide Partnerships (UNAP) program was established in December 2002 to fulfil the University's community responsibility in a more focused and sustainable way for the long-term benefit of the University and the people of this particular geographical area.

The Northern Adelaide area, significantly disadvantaged according to national indicators, was one of eight communities included in the 2001 Commonwealth 'Sustainable Regions' program. In 2002, the University audited its community engagement activities there and found them to be numerous, diverse and highly regarded, but largely uncoordinated. As a major employer and a provider of higher education with a campus in Northern Adelaide (Mawson Lakes), the University decided to collaborate to achieve its community engagement mission in a more focused and more sustainable way. The result was UNAP - a model which incorporates the best practice characteristics of community engagement identified by the University.

The area was also targeted by the State Government for a strategic 'whole-of-government' approach through a Northern Partnership of industry, education and employment. An 'Office of the North' (2002) was established and later, the Northern Adelaide Economic Development Alliance (NAEDA) representing business, unions, government and non-government organisations. A parallel committee, Northern Futures, focuses on youth 12 - 25 years with education a major issue.

UNAP (see www.unisa.edu.au/unap/Proj.asp) has a number of different roles. It provides support for University staff working in the northern suburbs. It brings community needs to the attention of the whole University, creating new interactions and facilitating the development of partnerships, programs and research to meet community needs. It seeks adjustments to existing programs so they better suit the community. It works to make the Northern Adelaide community a routine component of staff consciousness and University decision-making. It also brings the whole University to the community by participating in local governance structures, formal partnerships, community projects and helping to bring about research and evaluation activities. UNAP collaborates with all levels of government and government services, education providers, business, industry, and the professions. The Director and the UNAP Project Officer represent the University throughout the Northern Adelaide community in formal and informal networks around community issues, programs and projects, acting as catalysts and facilitating outcomes.

UNAP simultaneously pursues University and community goals by assisting the establishment of sustainable projects and activities designed to:

• increase participation in education
• enhance professional skills by providing life-long learning opportunities for professionals who reside and work in the community
• reduce skills shortages by promoting life-long learning and providing programs that address employer needs
• improve social resources.

Some programs that achieve these goals are:

• access and bridging programs - including a Portfolio Entry Pilot
• expansion of UniSA-PAL (preparation program for adult learners)
• peer tutoring and mentoring for secondary schools
• Libraries for Learning Partnership
• Middle Schooling partnership between UniSA and DECS
• Health Sciences placement program
• Play Area Project - Natural and Built Environment and Health Sciences students to improve a school play area.

UNAP seeks to embed the University's work in the northern suburbs within the current workload of staff. This needs to be the case if programs are to be sustainable. Where this is not possible, eg, during the establishment phase of programs, UNAP assists in finding funds.

UNAP has three full-time staff located at the Mawson Lakes campus in Northern Adelaide.

It is very strongly supported by the University's senior management. Organisationally, it is located within the Chancellery. UNAP has a high profile Director, Mike Elliott, who is identified in the University and the Northern Adelaide community as a champion of two-way engagement. The Director reports to the Pro Vice Chancellor of Organisational Strategy and Change who represents the University on the State Government peak Northern Adelaide strategic body, NAEDA. Within the University, the Pro Vice Chancellor chairs the UNAP Steering Group that also includes the Pro Vice Chancellor of Access and Learning Support and the Pro Vice Chancellors who head the four academic divisions.

UNAP has an annual plan that sets priorities for the year by listing projects and indicating outcomes and measurements to track success. UNAP is subject to regular review.

UNAP's success is evidenced by its high profile in Northern Adelaide and in the University, the number of programs and projects it facilitates, the number of agreements entered into with community-based organisations (Memoranda of Understanding), its governance relationships (representation) and the impact of all these activities measured by:

• Northern Adelaide statistics - school retention in the short term and Census data on a range of indicators (education levels, employment, income, health) in the longer term
• University statistics - entry, retention and success of Northern Adelaide students and equity groups
• UNAP surveys of stakeholders - university staff and Northern Adelaide community
• evaluations of individual projects.

The UNAP project indicators are assessed against each of the UNAP themes: increase participation in education; enhance professional skills; address skill shortage; and improve social resources. These project indicators are:

• number of UniSA projects with UNAP involvement
• number of UniSA staff with substantive and sustained involvement in northern Adelaide projects
• number of non-UniSA northern Adelaide partners with substantive and sustained involvement with UniSA projects
• number and amount of UniSA project grants in northern Adelaide.

UNAP Satisfaction Indicators are also applied:

• indication of level of satisfaction with UNAP's efforts in facilitating partnerships in northern Adelaide
• indication of level of satisfaction with UniSA's efforts in facilitating partnerships in northern Adelaide
• number of committees in northern Adelaide at which UniSA is represented.

Social Indicators include:

• young people's completion of 12 years of education and training
• northern residents enrolment in post school training and higher education
• overall employment in the region.

The University's Peer Mentoring Program won an institutional award in the 2004 Australian Awards for University Teaching.

The success and sustainability of UNAP will rest on achieving critical mass. The University has contributed significant funding, made a long term commitment of dedicated resources (the UNAP unit), University senior management has provided leadership and demonstrated commitment to the concept, and encouraged and supported input from individual staff throughout the University. This commitment, with the support of Commonwealth, State and Local Government and their related agencies and organisations, and the people of Northern Adelaide, will assist in sustaining the initiative.

Further information on UNAP programs can be found at the following websites:

• Middle Schooling: www.unisa.edu.au/unap/Projects/Middle%20Schooling.asp
• UNAP Newsletter link that includes the article 'Tackling Coordination Disorders' www.unisa.edu.au/unap/Newsletters/Sep04.pdf
• Robotics program: www.unisa.edu.au/mentor/robotics/default.asp
• Peer mentoring program: www.unisa.edu.au/mentor/
• UniSA-PAL: www.unisa.edu.au/unap/Projects/expansion%20of%20pal.asp
• UNAP website: www.unisa.edu.au/unap/

© 2010 Australian Universities Quality Agency