How do place-based services evolve in a world of virtual, physical and hybrid service delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an acceleration in shifting service delivery online, which has transformed the way governments work with communities.

In this context, ANZSOG commissioned and funded a project to examine the impact of these changes. Completed in 2021, the project was co-sponsored by the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet (NSW DPC) and aimed to identify emerging considerations for governments in designing and delivering hybrid services—combining virtual and face-to-face methods—and hybrid place-based initiatives (PBIs), particularly in the social services sector. The research was conducted by a team from the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), led by Professor Ilan Katz.

The objectives of the research were to:

• Examine the effect of virtual and hybrid modes of service delivery on stakeholder groups within government, industry and community, including service providers and their clients/customers.
• Identify features of place-based service delivery that promote community capability and wellbeing; economic development; collaborative governance; and help-seeking and service access amongst vulnerable populations.
• Identify the policy settings and resources that will support the ongoing transformation of place-based service delivery.

The findings and final report on the impact of hybrid service delivery for place-based services has shown that hybrid and physical place-based models can complement each other, and that governments need to encourage and build evidence for innovation into different ways to deliver services.

This research is intended for individuals and teams in government agencies and the not-for-profit sector who are exploring or implementing hybrid and virtual approaches to place-based initiatives (PBIs). By examining current practices and emerging trends in hybrid PBIs, the findings provide valuable information for policymakers, program designers, and service providers seeking to adapt to evolving community needs and integrate virtual components effectively.

The approach was collaborative, with all three partners (UNSW, ANZSOG and NSW DPC) working to refine and adapt the research focus, research instruments and methods in the light of the data analysis. This included identifying and recruiting key stakeholders to participate in the study, supporting the practical implementation of the project, and in knowledge translation and dissemination of the findings.

The study included a rapid evidence review, a Delphi exercise and deliberative panels. Given the exploratory nature of the study, the objectives of the research were refined at each stage in consultation with ANZSOG and NSW DPC. The analysis identified common principles for designing hybrid services and hybrid PBIs.

Prior understanding of place-based and hybrid services

• There is no clear or agreed definition of PBI. Practice highlights different conceptions of ‘place’, and diversity in the focus, nature and type of initiative. However, there is agreement that PBIs address both people and place in a specific location.
• Many human service PBIs focus on integrating or joining up different services and often involve an element of community development/empowerment and co-design.
• Service provision and communication from governments to communities is increasingly conducted online, and further increased due to COVID-19. After the initial COVID-19 restrictions, many services became hybrid.
• Virtual components of services have the potential to provide access to clients who otherwise would have missed out, but could undermine the sense of place and community when accessed remotely. This may cause a tension when implementing online components in PBIs.

Findings from this study

• This study confirmed COVID-19 has been a significant accelerator for increasing the range of services and initiatives delivered in hybrid form. The increasing use of online service components is coexisting with a greater focus on ‘place’ and locality.
• While governments supported and enabled service providers to innovate and shift towards hybrid service delivery in the early response to the pandemic, the response has largely been ad hoc. Innovation should continue to be encouraged, supported by a robust evidence base.
• There is some value in hybrid PBIs over face-to-face or online only; these components can be complementary rather than adversary.
• The benefits of hybrid PBIs for service users include increasing access, flexibility, connection to other users and consumer choice. Virtual services can facilitate access to people previously excluded from services and provide new ways of engaging service users.
• The benefits for service providers include increasing reach, increasing efficiency, providing staff with greater flexibility, and providing staff with greater support remotely. Hybrid PBIs can also create new opportunities to connect service users and providers.
• However, the use of virtual components can also be a barrier to service access and delivery due to access to and cost of technology, familiarity with and usability of technology, concerns of data security and governance, additional costs, and ease at which consumers can disengage with online services. Many of these barriers can be overcome by investing in digital infrastructure and providing training.
• Other barriers to implementing hybrid services and hybrid PBIs include how trust between services and clients, and consequently governments and communities, is established and maintained, and concerns about the design, integration, implementation and resourcing of services. In particular, any virtual component needs to be carefully designed to maintain engagement with the client and also be integrated with other components of service delivery.
• Finally, participants in this study recognised clients must always be able to access a human being, be it virtually or face-to-face.

Implications for government

This project underscores the importance of engaging with and further developing our understanding of virtual and hybrid services in the context of PBIs. It is essential for future government initiatives to consider how these services can be designed, integrated, and aligned with in-person components.

The identified implications for government include considerations for commissioning services and considerations when providing services – summarised in the infographic on the following page. Further, given the minimal evidence-base, there is a need to evaluate current and emerging forms of hybrid PBIs to understand both the short and long-term outcomes and inform future policy development.