Services Provided

SDF Pty Ltd supports and facilitates strategic planning, policy development, research and assessment processes. It undertakes this work through short-term assignments or by long-term mentoring and support relationships.

SDF Pty Ltd focuses on undertaking projects at the interface between social, economic and environment sectors. The senior partner undertakes international consultancy to organisations such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the U.N.

SDF Pty Ltd also undertakes a range of short term projects, e.g. developing policy submissions, strategic and business plans, facilitating workshops, community consultation and project design, development, evaluation and resource mobilisation.

SDF Pty Ltd is a registered business, ABN 71606105248 and has Public and Professional Indemnity insurance. SDF has a strong commitment to professional and capability building and is a registered Priority Access Employer (Registration No. 04175).

The core capabilities of SDF include cutting edge expertise in:

Evaluation

Dorothy is the Executive Director of SDF Global, a consulting firm with a focus on sustainable development that works on social enterprise principles. Dorothy has been working internationally as an evaluator and advisor for a range of United Nations, World Bank and Asian Development Bank programs for over twenty five years, as well as for private sector, government and not-for-profit programs in Australia. Dorothy is actively involved in the Australasian Evaluation Society Professional Learning Committee and Strategic Engagement Taskforce. She also currently represents AES on the International Organisation for Cooperation in Evaluation (IOCE) Board and the EvalPartners Management Group.

Dorothy Lucks has led evaluation teams up mountains, to remote islands and into refugee camps in her work for the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank amongst others. Both internationally and in Australia, she has conducted evaluations related to private and public sector investments, crime and safety, disability, mental health, youth, participatory community development, microfinance, irrigation, employment development, self-determination with indigenous people, food security, amongst a host of other topics. These often include major program evaluations, stakeholder engagement processes and high level workshops. Dorothy is on the panel for Quality Evaluations for both the Mental Health Commission and Disability Services Commission.

Maria Price has been conducting evaluations for local and State government departments as well as independent organisations for several years and has a clear understanding of the requirements of different sectors and departments and acquittal requirements.

Dorothy and Maria are members of the Australasian Evaluation Society and all SDF team members attend conferences and seminars to ensure they are up to date with latest methodology and trends

Evaluation related activities include:

  • Evaluation design and framework development
  • Project and program evaluations
  • Process evaluation and review
  • Realist evaluation methodology
  • Thematic research based evaluation
  • Meta analysis

The Principle of Leaving No One Behind

The adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 encompassed a commitment by UN Member States to ensure that 'no one is left behind'. Although considerable development gains have been made around the world over the last few decades and the lives of millions of people improved, millions were also 'left behind' because they were unable to fully participate in or benefit from development.1

The individuals and groups who were left behind were overwhelmingly among the worlds poorest and most marginalised.2 Approximately 80% of persons with disabilities live in developing countries and are overrepresented among those living in poverty.3

SDF Global Pty Ltd recognises that persons with disabilities should be recognized as equal partners and consulted as key stakeholders.4 SDF are committed to operating in-line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to ensure that exclusion and inequality are not created or perpetuated.5

SDF Global Pty Ltd continues to demonstrate a commitment to inclusion through their work in the disabilities sector in Australia, as well as, through international contracts.

AUSTRALIA

In 2010, the Australian Government adopted the National Disability Strategy, which sets out a ten year plan for improving the lives of Australians with disability, their families, and carers. This strategy feeds into the CRPD, which Australia ratified in 2008, and helps to ensure that the nation is meeting its reporting requirements under the Convention.6 SDF Global contributes toward reporting against the Convention and state and federal legislation through their work with the Disability Services (DS) in Western Australia. In addition, key members of the SDF team have personal and professional commitments which reflect their appreciation for and commitment to the disabilities sector and inclusion narratives.

Dr Dorothy Lucks

Dorothy Lucks has been working with the DS since 2013 as an independent evaluator. Dorothy has specific experience as well as lived experience of the need and practicalities of applying disability standards in relation to physical and service accessibility, government planning processes, education (school and tertiary), employment, recreation and in carer support. Since commencing with DS, she has completed X evaluations. She has also worked extensively in the aged care sector with the World Health Organisation standards for age-friendly communities. Dorothy was the Vice-Chair of the Peel Region Community Development Group (PCDG) that has identified inclusion and disability services as a major issue facing the region. Dorothy's longstanding support resulted her in receiving a certificate of lifetime membership from PCDG because of her commitment to community development.

In addition to the role with the PCDG, Dorothy sat on the Board of Governors of Fairbridge WA Inc for over ten years until late 2013. Fairbridge has a range of programs that assist young people with disabilities. Fairbridge clearly takes an individual-centred approach to its programming, closely aligned with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Western Australia's disability support pilot 'My Way' that offers new opportunities and a change in services for consumers based on an individualised care plan. She was also appointed as the Chair of the Fairbridge Centre for Social Innovation. The Centre carries out independent (peer reviewed) evaluations and seeks insight to a range of social issues through the results and learning arising from the direct service programs. In addition to these professional roles, Dorothy has lived experience with three close family members with very different disabilities. SDF is also an approved service provider for Indigenous Business Australia (IBA). In related IBA contracts, we have worked with urban and rural-based practitioners as well as with wider community leaders and members as culturally appropriate. Dorothy has broad knowledge and experience in standards, safeguards and assessment processes in relation to social equity and inclusion. She has worked on a number of international contracts in these areas, including;

  • Urban Youth Employment Programme – Papua New Guinea 2018
  • Rapid Employment Programme – Solomon Islands 2018

Maria Price

Maria has been working closely with Community Managed Organisations (CMO's) for the past eleven years through her work at SDF Global and as a Board member within the social services sector. This work has included CMO's associated with disability and mental health services such as Fairbridge WA Inc, Allambee Counselling Inc and WestAus Crisis and Welfare Inc. She is currently a Board member of WestAus Crisis and Welfare Inc and served as a Board member on the Peel Region Community Development Group for three years from 2009 to 2012.

Maria's involvement in WestAus Crisis and Welfare Inc has given her wide exposure to the CMOs available to all of WA including specific groups such as children and young people, older adult, indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse people. She often sees the difficulties that CMOs face within WA because of the diverse population requirements

1UNDP 2018 What does it mean to have no one behind? UNDP discussion paper and framework for implementation.
2Action for Sustainable Development. 2016. The Leave No One Behind Partnership.
3HLPF 2016 Ensuring that no one is left behind. Position paper by Persons with Disabilities.
4HLPF 2016
5HLPF 2016
6Commonwealth of Australia 2011 2010-2020 National Disability Strategy.

Research
  • Community needs analysis
  • Community based asset management
  • Consultation (community and stakeholder)
  • Recognise potential in diversity
  • Demographic profiling
  • Research methods – qualitative and quantitative
  • Social research

Strategic planning, organisational development and policy

  • Community governance
  • Public-private partnerships initiation and management
  • Facilitation and stakeholder management
  • Policy development and implementation
  • Project management (concept, design, plan, execute)
  • Change Management
  • Crisis/issues resolution and management
  • Residential estate management
  • Corporate strategic planning
  • Sustainability planning
  • Organisational development

Consultation, Communications, Marketing and Media
  • Community marketing (identity/branding)
  • Communication planning
  • Corporate positioning in community
  • Crisis/issues resolution
  • Sponsorship design and management
  • Community relations/affairs
  • Graphic design
  • Film and television

Stakeholder and Community Engagement, Building Social Capital
  • Community creation/formation
  • Community engagement/participation
  • Capacity building (individuals, communities, organisations)
  • Urban renewal/revitalisation
  • Community relations
  • Training and education
  • Facilitation, partnerships brokering, stakeholder management
  • Establish community groups/management structures

Facilities planning and management
  • Community infrastructure planning
  • Concept planning
  • Feasibility analysis of facility proposals
  • Facility management and operations planning
  • Community facility needs analysis
  • Facility renewal/revitalisation
  • Facility investment/funding attraction
  • Facilitation of provision agreements, partnerships brokering
  • Stakeholder liaison and management
  • Town centre/main street planning and activation

Events, activities and programs
  • Program development
  • Project management (concept, design, plan, execute)
  • Event design, marketing and management
  • Facilitation, partnerships brokering, stakeholder management

Business, economic and employment generation
  • Business and employment generation initiatives
  • Economic development strategies
  • Facilitation, partnerships brokering, stakeholder management