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The City of Ryde are currently working on a Service Mapping and Gap Analysis Project. The aim of the Project is to provide a user-friendly tool that can assist Council staff, service providers and the wider community to understand the needs of the Ryde community, develop strategies to meet these needs and to assist with funding applications. The Summary Sheet provides a more detailed description of the Project and the benefits it will have for agencies providing services in the area.
The project is now underway, which includes undertaking service mapping, demographic analysis, literature review and individual consultation with service providers. The second step of the Project will involve interactive workshops with service providers that will:
- Introduce the application of Assets Based Community Development approaches
- Present the findings of the demographic and service mapping project
- Use world café and open space facilitation techniques to explore reactions to information, implications for practitioners and agencies, and ways forward for the service sector in light of this information.
What is the project about?
The Ryde Service Mapping and Gap Analysis Project aims to provide a user-friendly tool that can assist Council staff, service providers and the wider community to understand the needs of the Ryde community, and develop strategies to meet these needs.
The project will also link with the Ryde 2030 Community Strategic Plan. As a component of the 2030 Ryde Community Strategic Plan, it will provide a substantial contribution towards fulfilling the social planning requirements set by the Department of Local Government.
The project will be undertaken in two parts.
The first stage is to provide gap analysis through service mapping, demographic analysis, literature review and consultation with service providers. This stage is now underway.
The second stage will involve the testing of analysis through a community engagement process.
What will the project produce?
A major deliverable of the project is to develop a readily understandable document which will assist the Community and Cultural Services Unit and other service units of Council to better understand:
- who lives in Ryde LGA
- how well their needs are being met
- who is likely to be living in Ryde LGA in 2030
- how the service network will need to change to meet future needs
- how Council should allocate their resources
- and inform service planning across Council and in the service sector within the LGA
The project will involve a review of existing information and in consultation with service providers, and provide:
- service mapping and data analysis by suburb
- demographic analysis and projection
- identification of gaps and overlaps through service mapping and demographic analysis in accordance with the social planning requirements of the Department of Local Government
- analysis of existing and planned services relative to the current and projected demographic profile and social needs.
Why the City of Ryde Council?
Local Government plays a significant role in delivering services that affect the quality of life for the communities they serve. Local Government also works with other levels of Government and organisations to support and facilitate a range of services/opportunities that are essential to the wider community. In relation to social planning and community services, Council is frequently an advocate and a co-ordinator of information about local social needs ( such as through the Ryde 2030 Community Strategic Plan and the existing Community Plan), whilst the major role in service delivery is undertaken by a range of non Government (community), State and Federal Government agencies and groups.
The City of Ryde is undergoing significant change. As part of the “global economic corridor” identified in the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy, the specialised centre of Macquarie Park is changing dramatically. Infrastructure investments such as the M2 and the Epping Chatswood Heavy Rail link have improved the accessibility of the area and will further increase pressures for residential and economic intensification.
Challenges for Ryde
Despite having a more aged population profile than Sydney overall (which generally leads to population decline), Ryde increased its population by around 2.5% between 2001 and 2006 (from around 94,500 to just under 97,000 (usual residence)) as a result of urban consolidation (additional dwellings), and by stabilising the “ageing profile” and household occupancy rates, possibly as result of change to the ethnic make up of the LGA (leading to larger and younger households). Ryde has around 38% of its population born overseas. Ryde will continue experience strong population and jobs growth, according to the State Government Metropolitan Strategy.
An increase in overseas born residents (frequently of Chinese ethnic origin) has changed the social and economic nature of a number of centres within Ryde. Redevelopment opportunities made possible as a result of economic change, such as surplus industrial land along the Parramatta River, have further increased the pace of change in the LGA.
Ryde’s unique physical and social characteristics, and access to quality infrastructure, such as Macquarie University, position it well to meet the challenges of the future, as a sustainable locality with a high degree of economic and social integration.
At the same time, it will place considerable pressures on Council to meet a wide range of changing community needs and demands, and will require Council to act as an advocate to other spheres of Government for the needs of its area.
How will the Project be undertaken?
The Ryde service mapping and gap analysis project is being undertaken the Community and Cultural Section of the City of Ryde Council, with the assistance of Strategy Hunter consultants in conjunction with the Family Action Centre of the University of Newcastle.
The consultants will:
- review existing information on service provision and service planning
- conduct interviews with key service providers
- analyse this information
- conduct workshops using “Assets Based Community Development” and “Open Space” facilitation techniques to seek feedback on the draft analysis
- provide a final report to guide future action.
Benefits
Council, service providers and the wider community will gain an improved knowledge of the service network operating in Ryde, and of the gaps in service coverage.
This will identify service gaps to be filled, and provide the basis for improved interagency collaboration, advocacy and funding submissions to achieve improved service delivery to meet local needs.
For further information, please contact Mr Paul Graham at the City of Ryde on 9952 8312, or email PGraham@ryde.nsw.gov.au
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