Foreword by the Chief Executive Officer

If we were to think about whether our lives are better or worse now than they were 10 years ago, many of us may consider the state of our health, what our bank balance is compared to what it was like, whether our children are happier than they used to be, or the number of good friends we have.

The Community Pulse seeks to make similar assessments about the sustainability of our community.  We know that the quality of our community's life does not merely rest upon its economic condition.  While we recognise that economic factors are important, it is clear that our wellbeing is also heavily dependent on the environmental, social and cultural conditions that support us.

We also believe that the generations who live in our community after us deserve at least the same opportunities to lead a good quality of life as we experience today.  Council is committed to The Community Pulse project for at least 10 years, as we understand that its full value may not be realised until years of information have been collected, talked about and acted upon.

The Community Pulse aims to keep track of our progress on issues that our community regards as important, that may otherwise gradually deteriorate or slip past unnoticed over the years.  It also enables us to acknowledge and celebrate those thousands of little contributions that add up to significant improvements over time.

The data collected by The Community Pulse does not aim to provide the answers to some of the most important dilemmas that our community faces, but open up debates, intelligent discussions and inspire people to act. The indicators and measures do not aim to be highly scientific or technical, but are, as much as possible concepts that most of us can easily relate to in the course of our everyday experiences.

We encourage you to become involved with The Community Pulse.  This project provides each of us with an opportunity to make a really significant and lasting difference to our community, not just for our benefit, but also for those who live here after us. We look forward to acknowledging your personal contribution to the sustainability of our community over the forthcoming years.

David Spokes, Chief Executive Officer

In November 2001 Port Phillip residents were invited to a 'Sustainable Community Progress Indicators' night to tell us what they would notice around them if our community was improving or not. Attending residents devised various indicators for measurement.

A working group of residents and staff then refined these ideas down to 13 indicators of sustainability.  Approximately 40 measures were chosen as a means of measuring progress against these indicators. A Community Pulse steering committee of community and council representatives continues to guide the work of the project.

The Community Pulse has been gathering data for nearly 7 years, building a strong baseline of information and starting to track trends in some areas.

Rather than publishing a report annually The Community Pulse has focused its efforts on getting the information gathered back to the community in many and varied ways. Community Pulse data has appeared in the local and state papers, the council's Divercity newsletter, on street signs, bus shelter ads and postcards. The Community Pulse will continue to look for new, innovative and relevant ways of reporting data back to the community.

More and more of the data for The Community Pulse is collected by community volunteers, building a strong database as well as helping build support for the project within the community. Schools, community groups and individuals all contribute data to The Community Pulse.

The purpose of The Community Pulse is to help achieve local sustainability by:

• Using indicators to demonstrate movement towards or away from sustainability
• Providing an early warning sign of potential problems, and
• Showing the City of Port Phillip and its community how we can improve our environment, health and well-being and achieve our vision of a sustainable community.
• Being the change - residents, community groups, volunteer networks and whole primary schools help collect the data that informs our understanding of community wellbeing. The Communtiy Pulse is characterised not merely by the 'type' of data but 'how' its collected. By engaging the community and asking them to help tell the story of 'how our community is fairing we ensure their role in collectively finding the solutions. 

Principles.

The Community Pulse:

• Is an evolving, ongoing project, endorsed by the council for an initial period of 10 years, with its true value being evident in the longer term
• Draws on, and is underpinned by, the community values and aspirations outlined in the community plan
• Uses indicators to raise awareness and as inspiration for action
• Uses measures which relate to people's everyday experiences, rather than being solely based on technical validity
• Aims to maximise community involvement

For more information on The Community Pulse, use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. If you prefer call ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or TTy (03) 9209 6713 and ask for The Community Pulse.