Work and family balance in regional Victoria: A pilot project

This study introduced a regional focus on the topic of work and family balance. It built on previous research on policy for work-family balance conducted by CASR researchers for the Victorian government, and it directly responded to the gap in the literature as a result of neglect of rural and regional communities. The study used statistical data together with an extensive round of consultations with key stakeholders and employee focus groups in four Victorian regional areas (Bendigo, Colac, Horsham and Latrobe City). It succeeded in identifying factors that were important in shaping opportunities for good work-family balance in regional areas - both negative influences such as the narrower structure of labour demand and positive influences such as community cohesion and volunteering. The policy options outlined in the report were taken up in the Victorian government's regional development policy, and the research helped to promote a new theme of 'work-family-community balance'. The success of the project was signalled in the commitment of the industry partners to a subsequent ARC-funded Linkage project (A Regional Perspective on Work/Family Balance and Changing Employment Regulation, LP 0882475) conducted by CIs Charlesworth, Campbell and Baird from 2008 to 2011.