At Change for Good @ UTS we're taking a transdiciplinary, strategic and participatory approach to develop real world behaviour and social change solutions to address complex health and social problems.
About us
Why we exist
Change for Good @ UTS addresses complex health and social problems through transdisciplinary behaviour and social change research.
We design and implement real world solutions that are based on scientific evidence, behaviour and social change principles, social justice values, and critical methods.
Collaborate with us
Contact Change for Good @ UTS to talk about our goals and research, partnering with us, working with us and opportunities for collaboration.
Why this is important
We live in an age of wicked problems that are multiple, persistent and complex. These include, but are not limited to: climate change; non-communicable diseases; gambling; alcohol; drugs & tobacco harm; infectious disease pandemics; economic, health, social & political inequalities; impairment and disability; achieving healthy ageing; automation & job insecurity; equity, diversity & inclusion; Indigenous rights; and democracy in decline. Human behaviour is often at the heart of these problems, but through understanding and supporting behaviour change for social good - it is also part of the solution.
Who we are
Our Centre Director Professor Ross Gordon is an interdisciplinary behaviour and social change activist with degree qualifications in public policy, politics and history, and marketing. His work focuses on social issues and behaviour and social change, through a critical, reflexive and multi-perspective lens.
Centre members have expertise across a range of disciplines relevant to behaviour and social change, including: social marketing, consumer research, psychology, sociology, behavioural economics, management, human geography, anthropology, political science, public health, communications, cultural studies, engineering, medicine.
Meet the Change for Good @ UTS team
Our values and ethical policy
Change for Good @ UTS is a transdisciplinary research centre that brings together academics, practitioners, policymakers, and community members from a wide range of disciplines and perspectives and with diverse lived experiences to partner and collaborate on research and the design, implementation and evaluation of policies and programs relating to behaviour and social change for social good.
Change for Good @ UTS embodies an ethical and social justice-oriented approach in which positive behaviour and social change is done with people not to people.
Our research and practice are conducted with appropriate ethical approvals and in adherence with the highest ethical standards.
Our partnerships and funding are also based on ethical decisions and done with organisations that embody social justice and support positive behaviour and social change for social good. This precludes us from collaborating with and accepting funding or other incentives from the tobacco, alcohol, gambling, oil, and arms industries.
How we work
We help solve complex health and social problems using evidence based scientific behaviour and social change principles and methods that provide real world solutions. Our approach is transdisciplinary, polyvocal and inclusive, intersectionality-informed and participant and stakeholder orientated.
We draw upon systems thinking, strategic planning and co-design, appropriate behavioural and social theory, critical and reflexive thinking, research insight, segmentation, targeting and positioning, a multi-level and multi-component intervention mix, and the co-creation of value.
We utilise combinations of behaviour and social change strategies and tools following a systems approach and based on appropriate understand of context, people, evidence, research insights, theory, and resources to influence change for good systemically at the macro, exo, meso, micro and individual levels.
Key features of the Change for Good approach:
- Participant/Stakeholder-oriented
- Systems thinking
- Strategic planning
- Co-design
- Behavioural & social theory
- Critical thinking and reflexivity
- Research and insight driven
- Segmentation, targeting & positioning
- Multi-level intervention mix
- Co-creating value
Explore our research
The Change for Good team has capabilities, expertise and experience working across a range of health and social problems to effect behaviour and social change for social good in domains.
Our research topics, capabilities and services
Collaborate with us
Change for Good @ UTS works with a variety of partners who are at the cutting edge in bringing about transdisciplinary positive behaviour and social change. Our partners include valued industry, non-profit and government sector organisations, and research affiliates. No matter how big or small the project, our group can help you with any aspect of your behaviour and social change work. From expert advice to research design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation – we have the capabilities to help you.
We are also very open to collaborating with partners on joint research projects.
