Social inclusion : policy, practice, people and place

In 2010, the UN legitimised social inclusion as a central concept of social policy in Europe and elsewhere. Social inclusion describes the ideal situation whereby individuals can participate in the relevant institutions of society; while conversely social exclusion describes the manifold consequences of poverty and inequality. Through a case study of West-Central Sydney in NSW Australia, this thesis explores how social inclusion outcomes can be enhanced in the older suburbs of one of Sydney’s most culturally diverse sub-regions, by increasing property and neighbourhood value without displacing poorer households. Socio-economic polarisation within suburban Australia over the last twenty years is evidenced by a combination of rising wealth and increasing deprivation. For many in West-Central Sydney there are now more opportunities and more choice, but these are not universally shared. West-Central is the area with Australia’s highest number of new migrants and contains large proportions of low income households and experiences poor employment and education participation rates, high car dependence and limited accessibility to facilities and services. Yet the sub-region is targeted by the NSW government for a substantial population increase, requiring 96,000 new dwellings and 98,000 more jobs by 2036; further stressing the area’s limited resources. Some suburbs suffer multiple deprivation which can have a depressing influence on the life experiences of all living there; whatever their individual circumstances. Following a review of related literature, the research for this thesis adopts a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach to evidence-based research into the wide-ranging interrelated factors impacting on urban regeneration policies. The empirical data draws largely from semi-structured interviews conducted with key regional stakeholders, supplemented with census statistics and information contained in government and industry reports. Examining overseas examples of the effectiveness of government policy interventions to reduce inequality, the thesis demonstrates how a more integrated approach to urban regeneration could be formulated. It explores how such an approach might require combining market demands with innovative public interventions, a better understanding of the drivers of housing and job supply and the role of public transport in the regeneration process; all in the context of an evolving Metropolitan Strategy. The research brings together cross-disciplinary findings and assesses current policy settings which are attempting to deal with West-Central’s problems. Key insights emerge when socio-economic disadvantage is explored through the lens of a social inclusion agenda, revealing the strong association between social exclusion and housing, employment and transport policies, together with the role of individual agencies and structural factors in determining poverty and inequality. Three interwoven conclusions emerge from this research: the first calls for a broader holistic approach to framing policies explicitly endorsing and nurturing social diversity, providing compassionate responses to disadvantage. The second recognises the link between disparate housing, employment and transport policies to strengthen social inclusion and to avoid exacerbating social exclusion. The third requires a review of governance arrangements, to embrace a social inclusion agenda and the development of new skills in sustainable urban management