Transport Connections Evaluation Report - TDSA

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ABCD Department of Human Services Transport Connections Program Government July 2006 1 Introduction “An important feature of liveable communities is that they provide access to services for people with restricted mobility, such as older people, people with disabilities, and parents travelling with children.” Meeting our Transport Challenges 1 The Victorian Government established the Transport Connections Program (TCP) in 2003 to address the access and mobility needs of transport disadvantaged communities and individuals in rural and regional Victoria. The TCP is a joint initiative of the Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Infrastructure (DOI), Department for Victorian Communities (DVC) and Department of Education and Training (DET). TCP supports nine pilot projects across predominantly rural and regional Victoria. Program funding totalled $2.1 million over three years. The nine pilot projects aim to be inclusive of the community they support by developing flexible approaches and practical solutions for addressing transport disadvantage. This report is the final report of an evaluation of the three year pilot program. Complementing this report are three documents developed by KPMG as part of the evaluation process: • Transport Connections – Mid Term Evaluation Report (2005) • Transport Connections Pilot Projects – Attachment to Mid Term Evaluation Report (2005), a series of case studies on the nine pilot projects, including background information, resourcing requirements and outcomes of each pilot project • Data Collection Strategy (2005). 1.1 The evaluation The Department of Human Services engaged KPMG to evaluate the outcomes and operational effectiveness of the TCP in relation to its objectives of: • making better use of existing transport resources through new and coordinated approaches • facilitating dialogue between community, transport providers and local businesses to develop tailored transport solutions • strengthening links between the community and public transport sectors. The operating models of the TCP were also reviewed to measure if the model is efficient and effective, inclusive of stakeholders, responsive to issues, able to make timely decisions and resolve issues, and able to provide timely and useful guidance to the TCP pilot project coordinators. To oversee the evaluation, a Steering Committee was established comprising representatives from DHS, DOI, DVC and DET. 1 ‘Meeting our Transport Challenges – Connecting Victorian Communities’, Government of Victoria, page 58 Final Evaluation - Transport Connections Program 2006 3 © 2006 KPMG, an Australian partnership, is part of the KPMG International network. KPMG International is a Swiss cooperative. All rights reserved. The KPMG logo and name are trademarks of KPMG.
ABCD Department of Human Services Transport Connections Program Government July 2006 1.1.1 The evaluation framework An evaluation framework was developed and endorsed by the TCP Steering Committee (22 June 2005). The evaluation framework establishes the key outcome indicators for the TCP at three levels: • statewide system level • local system level • individual user level. With a focus on measuring the outcomes of the TCP at the program level, the evaluation strategy balanced quantitative and qualitative approaches to ensure that the incremental changes and impacts that result from the TCP at each level are captured and assessed. 1.1.2 The evaluation methodology The final evaluation covered the period from July 2005 to May 2006. The evaluation approach included: • Collating evidence of service system outcomes in relation to access, knowledge, coordination, planning, efficiency and sustainability by analysing and reviewing existing TCP documentation and data returns provided by the TCP coordinators across three collection periods: - July to November 2005 - December 2005 to February 2006 - March to May 2006. • Conducting stakeholder consultations and interviews with the following stakeholders: representatives from local TCP Steering Committees; local community members; local community organisations; shire council representatives; peak organisations such as VCOSS, Disability Advisory Council, Municipal Association of Victoria and Council on the Ageing; industry representative bodies such as RACV, Victorian Community Transport Association, Bus Association of Victoria and Victorian Taxi Association; representatives from DHS, DOI, DVC and DET; and TCP Coordinators. The consultation phases of the evaluation included discussions with approximately 354 individuals through a range of methods, including 31 forums/group discussions, 84 face-to-face interviews and 85 telephone interviews. The list of stakeholders consulted in the second phase is provided in Appendix B. As the focus was on evaluating the TCP at the program level, and due to the individual characteristics of the nine pilot projects, elements of the evaluation framework could not be applied to all projects. The evaluation approach taken has focussed on the contribution of the nine pilot projects to the overall objectives of the TCP. 1.2 Purpose of this report The objective of the final evaluation report is to provide an analysis of the benefits of the TCP, including recommendations for future directions. The report also provides guidance on the Final Evaluation - Transport Connections Program 2006 4 © 2006 KPMG, an Australian partnership, is part of the KPMG International network. KPMG International is a Swiss cooperative. All rights reserved. The KPMG logo and name are trademarks of KPMG.
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Transport Connections Evaluation Report - TDSA

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