Community development through sport in the Latrobe Valley
The Latrobe Valley Sports and Community Initiative (LVSCI) is an $85 million investment to improve social, health and economic outcomes in the Latrobe Valley, and formed part of the Victorian Government’s $266 million package of support for the Latrobe Valley. The LVSCI has a specific focus on infrastructure and social cohesion through investment in state-of-the-art facilities, events, and community development activities. The Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA) required an evaluation of this major program to assess its appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency.
Building a comprehensive program fact base
Kinetica was commissioned by the LVA to develop and deliver the program evaluation, a social, health and economic impact assessment, and recommendations to sustain the program going forward. A robust fact base was developed to underpin the evaluation, which included the collation of existing data and a significant level of engagement with the local community – residents, businesses, sports organisations – through workshops, interviews and surveys to construct an in-depth understanding of requirements of, issues with and opinions about the program.
Assessing impacts and identifying opportunities for improvement
The final fact base informed detailed analysis and reporting on whether the program met the needs of the community, how effective it was in achieving its objectives and the economic and social impacts it delivered. Kinetica also developed a suite of recommendations to optimise the program’s strategy and implementation, including guidance on the future budget for the Initiative. The evaluation formed part of a submission to the state government Treasury for continuation of the program for another 5 years.