SHARING THE BENEFITS OF GROWTH FOR ALL CITY OF PARRAMATTA BACKGROUND REPORT SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE PARRAMATTA FRAMEWORK Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT 1 DRAFT SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE PARRAMATTA FRAMEWORK The draft Socially Sustainable Parramatta Framework is the City of Parramatta Council’s draft framework for advancing social sustainability in our local government area. THE FRAMEWORK INCLUDES: • WHAT TO DO: Long term goals and short term actions. • HOW TO DO IT: Values for decision making. • HOW TO BE ACCOUNTABLE: Measures and review. This draft Framework sets out a new way of working for City of Parramatta Council, which puts people first, and identifies some specific ways that the benefits of growth can be shared equitably for all people. 2 Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT 3 BACKGROUND REPORT This Background Report provides the supporting information that was used to develop the draft Socially Sustainable Parramatta Framework. How to use this Next steps document We need your thoughts and feedback to take the draft Framework to the next stage. This Background Report includes: In April and May 2017, the draft Framework BACKGROUND TO THE GOALS will be on public exhibition. The Framework contains a series of long term goals and actions (1-2 years) for We want to hear your ideas on how advancing social sustainability in the City we can strengthen our community and of Parramatta. This section provides a more work together to create a more socially detailed background to how these goals sustainable City of Parramatta. were developed, and what community needs they address. Information on how to make a submission can be found on page 62 of the draft EXAMPLES OF HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE framework. VALUES FOR DECISION MAKING The Framework contains a set of values that Following your feedback, we will revise this are Council’s criteria for socially sustainable draft and prepare a final document for the decisions. This section identifies a series City of Parramatta Council to consider by of dilemmas that Council could face, and July 2017. applies the values for decision making to them. The draft Socially Sustainable Parramatta Framework is also available for review on Council’s website: www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au 4 Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT YOU CAN READ THE DRAFT SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE PARRAMATTA FRAMEWORK ON COUNCIL’S WEBSITE. SHARING THE BENEFITS OF GROWTH FOR ALL CITY OF PARRAMATTA DRAFT SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE PARRAMATTA FRAMEWORK Sharing the benefits of growth for all DRAFT 1 Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT 5 6 Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT CONTENTS 02 DRAFT SOCIALLY SUSTAINABLE PARRAMATTA FRAMEWORK 04 Background Report 08 Background to the goals 10 THE GOALS 10 Children are our future 14 Diverse, affordable homes for everyone 18 All people can learn, share and grow 22 All people can access a job that enables them to live with dignity and security 26 Green, inclusive and safe places to share 30 All people can access to the resources they need to live healthy, active lives 34 We trust each other, are welcoming, and feel good about being here together 38 We lead by example 43 OUR VALUES? 43 What are our values? 46 How will these values be applied? 50 REFERENCES Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT 7 BACKGROUND TO THE GOALS GREEN, INCLUSIVE AND SAFE What are our goals? PLACES TO SHARE Design, build and maintain public spaces The goals define what Council wants to and neighbourhoods that are green, safe achieve as a result of implementing and inclusive for all. this Framework. ALL PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES The goals identify eight different ways that City THEY NEED TO LIVE HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIVES of Parramatta Council will work in partnership Improve health outcomes, starting with to share the benefits of growth equitably for all. disadvantaged groups in our community. Communities that share the benefits of growth are stronger, more liveable, more productive, WE TRUST EACH OTHER, ARE WELCOMING, more resilient, and more socially sustainable. AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT BEING HERE Facilitate social connections to foster strong, CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE culturally diverse, inclusive and empowered Work to ensure every child in Parramatta is communities. healthy, nurtured, happy and will thrive. WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE DIVERSE AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR Improve City of Parramatta Council’s social EVERYONE sustainability to enable council to be an effective Deliver and expand a diverse range of affordable, custodian of the current and future community. high quality housing that meets the spectrum of housing needs in the community. ALL PEOPLE CAN LEARN, SHARE AND GROW Facilitate formal and informal learning opportunities at all ages, to help people improve their circumstances, reach their full potential and share their knowledge, creativity and culture. ALL PEOPLE CAN ACCESS A JOB THAT ENABLES THEM TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND SECURITY Secure and retain decent jobs and access to enterprise for all Parramatta residents. 8 Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT 9 CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE A high number of babies and pre-schoolers live in our The Goal City. In 2011, 6.8% of people in the City of Parramatta were aged 0 to 4 years old. By 2036, this will increase Work towards ensuring every child to 7.0%, or an additional 14,115 children. This is the in Parramatta is healthy, nurtured, equivalent of 14 new primary schools. happy and will thrive. The developmental vulnerability of children in the City is increasing. In 2015, more than 24% of children were developmentally vulnerable across one or more domain, compared with 21.5% in 20121. This means that almost one in four children in Parramatta is not school-ready by the time they start kindergarten, and are behind before they begin. Why is this important? Early childhood is a vital stage of development If we get it right in children’s early years, we can expect children to thrive in school and throughout their lives. Investing in children’s early years leads to increased social mobility, improved lifetime wages, improved university graduation rates, reduced income inequality and improved health and wellbeing. Investing in children assists the whole community to succeed by overcoming the opportunity gap between children from low and high income families, to end intergenerational disadvantage. High quality services improve social, education, and health outcomes for children. Some approaches include improving access to education and care services as well as access to literacy, environmental and other educational programs for children and families, particularly those from low-income families, those with additional needs, and those who speak English as a second language. Global cities like New York are increasingly investing in the early years of life, especially for disadvantaged children, and seeing real return on investment. 10 Sharing the benefits of growth for all BACKGROUND REPORT Initiatives such as universal pre-school, provide parking, accessible toilets and personal care areas, children from disadvantaged backgrounds with the opportunities to connect with nature and all-abilities tools for social mobility.3 For the City as a whole, it play equipment are required to make a great all builds a highly educated, skilled workforce for the abilities playground – and parents are willing to travel future, increases community capacity and reduces to access a high quality playground for their kids.6 social costs to all levels of government. • Parramatta CBD is a major centre for teenagers and young people from across the region, due to its accessibility and retail offering – but development What did you tell us? is increasingly excluding young people.7 Throughout 2016, Council undertook extensive community engagement. During this process, we heard that continuing to provide facilities and What is Council’s current services that enable children to thrive is an important priority for our community. Specifically: role and contribution? Many of the factors that cause developmental • Council should continue to provide children vulnerability for Parramatta’s children are beyond and families-focused activities and facilities for local government control, such as childcare subsidies the community. for low income families, preschool funding, provision • Expanded and improved schools are required to of schools and paid parental leave policies. keep up with Parramatta’s growing population. Nonetheless, Council has an important role to play • There are long waiting lists for Council-run childcare in ensuring every child in Parramatta is healthy, centres across the City of Parramatta. nurtured, happy and will thrive. Our current • Children growing up in high density will need approaches include: places to play outside their homes, and families • Expanding opportunities for early learning by will need places to walk to and relax. More facilitating delivery of childcare places through the green spaces are needed for the social and development process, and expanding Council’s developmental needs of growing children, and role as a childcare service provider, with a focus on parents do not want their children growing up in disadvantaged families. entirely urban landscapes.4 • Delivering events, programs and projects with a • Children’s playgrounds require improvement focus for children and families to come together in across the City of Parramatta. Parents and carers our CBD and neighbourhoods, including Family Fun would like more and safer places to take their kids Days, Paint Parra REaD, Riverside Kidspot Festival, to play and socialise with other kids and families, Kidtopia Festival, Tropfest Junior, Sydney Festival including in playgrounds, green and open spaces, and many others. and bike paths.5 • Ensuring a supply of high quality open spaces, play • Playgrounds also need to be more inclusive for spaces and community facilities to support children children with disabilities and their carers.