Our Patron
Commander 3rd Brigade, Brigadier David McCammon DSM and Bar
Homebase for the Veteran Community in Townsville
1 Staging Camp Ave, Oonoonba. Drop-in M-F 0900-1500, after hours upon booking
All closed on W/E and public holidays, unless booked.
[for GPS apps you may have better luck with 20 Darter Street, Oonoonba until actual is recognised on all platforms]
Impact & Outcomes
Introduction
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We have established a comprehensive evaluation system to ensure our efforts continue to support the veteran community strongly.
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As a prelude to streamlining our own feedback and survey mechanisms, CQU ​conducted a formal qualitative evaluation of our operations at Homebase.
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The buttons below compare quarter-on-quarter to gauge improvement and provide a snapshot of client demographic data for the most recent quarter.
Our primary motivation is to ensure we remain on the right path to serving the veteran community. We are also keen to demonstrate the value of our model in order to influence others to achieve the same outcomes in their community and secure funding to continue the work.
The Tools
ChilliDB and PowerBI
We use ChilliDB as our CRM. It manages all client data, notes and cases, organisations, surveys, events and memberships. Many of the Department of Health PHNs also use it. It is an Australian company, and the data is stored in Australia. We use PowerBI to distil cubes for analysis; the most important data is reflected in the graphs behnd the buttons above and in the ASVB analysis (button below).
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ASVB
In FY 2022-23 with support from a grant from DVA we established a regime for collecting and analysing the data that could be applied using the Australian Social Values Bank (ASVB) Framework for Social Outcomes.
The ASVB is the largest bank of methodologically consistent and robust social values ever produced in Australia, putting a well-researched economic value on the improvement in wellbeing of Australians. The Cost-Benefit outcomes have been derived using a statistical methodology called Wellbeing Valuation, using the HILDA (Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia) Survey and the Journeys Home survey. Both of these datasets are longitudinal studies funded by the Australian Government and created by Melbourne University.
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The net benefit value of The Oasis Townsville consistently shows the cost-to-benefit ratio to be 2:1 ($2 net social benefit for every $1 spent on services provided by The Oasis Townsville). We will run this trial for FY 2023-24 to confirm this. Most up to date graph is here.
Other Means of Evaluation
Veteran Community Integration Advisory Committee
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We have an expert panel of professionals in the field of veteran community care. A Veterans Community Integration Advisory Committee (VCIAC) chaired by the GM and comprised of the leadership of the most significant organisations involved in the wellbeing of the veteran community provides advice and guidance on current operations and plans.
ESO Collaboration Forum
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To ensure we are providing the best support to the ESO Community, we hold a collaborative forum at Homebase of all the ESOs in Townsville that provide services to the veteran community, essentially those that provide service beyond veteran camaraderie (e.g., short-term accommodation, hospital visits, and advocacy).
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The ESOs Supporting the Townsville Community webpage explains and identifies the issues most affecting the veteran community in Townsville.
Feedback
To facilitate feedback gathering, we have prominently placed QR Codes around Homebase for members of the veteran community to input ideas, complaints and feedback. We actively seek all feedback on any aspect of our operation so we can ensure we maintain the standard.
We also specifically ask for feedback from:
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clients upon achievement of support required,
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participants at connections activities (especially from first-time users)
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organisers of connections activities,
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market/expo stall holders.
Dirty Boots Cafe provides a vital function to Homebase, and we ask for feedback on that, too, including what you think of the coffee, to ensure it stays vital.
Testimonials and Great Stories
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And importantly, we collect Testimonials and Great Stories, which bring a very human face to our work in supporting the Veteran Community in Townsville. We are also proud of our efforts in employment and education and skills support, and are building a library of Inspiring Employment Stories.