In addition to the core research projects and larger topical research projects that the NCPR undertakes, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) and other Catholic dioceses and organisations engage the Centre for smaller surveys and projects. In recent years, this has included data gathering in response to several requests from the Holy See. A list of projects undertaken by the NCPR and its previous iteration, the Pastoral Research Office (PRO, 2012-2018), is available below.
2024
- Employee Engagement Survey
ACBC staff were surveyed about connections in the workplace between themselves, their workplace and their managers. The information from the survey will inform improvements and enhancements in the workplace at the Conference.
2023
- CathNews Subscriber Survey
The CathNews Advisory Board commissioned the NCPR to undertake a survey of CathNews subscribers. There were 1,756 completed responses, which provided valuable qualitative and quantitative information about their engagement with CathNews. - Formation Day Survey
ACBC staff who attended the annual Staff Formation Day were surveyed to evaluate their experience of the day and their thoughts regarding similar future events. - Survey of bishops and leaders of religious institutes regarding the joint CRA-ACBC meeting
Bishops and leaders of religious institutes were surveyed to evaluate the experience of their annual meetings and gather recommendations for future meetings. - Catholic Communications and COVID-19 Survey
The Australian Catholic Media Council commissioned a survey of Catholic media organisations to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their communication efforts.
2022
- Pastoral Care of Bishops Survey
The Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry (BCELM) commissioned the NCPR to gather feedback from bishops on their well-being, mental health and spiritual health, with the opportunity for them to raise concerns and identify areas of need. - COVID-19 Working Arrangements Survey
ACBC staff were surveyed about the impact of flexible working arrangements on their work performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty-seven per cent of staff responded and offered insightful comments and suggestions on the practice and its impact in the workplace.
2021
- Return to Work Survey
The NCPR was engaged in surveying ACBC staff on their preferences and concerns about returning to work after working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. - ACBC Decennial Half-way Review – Bishops and Staff surveys
The NCPR undertook two surveys that sought Bishops’ and ACBC staff feedback on how the outcomes of the Decennial External Review 2016 of the Australian Bishops Conference had fulfilled the original scope and invited suggestions for further improvements. While both surveys were derived from the original Decennial External Review, each had different focuses and questions. - Disability Projects Office – 10-year Review
The Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service invited the NCPR to assist with the ten-year review of the Disability Projects Office. The NCPR administered a survey and analysed the results, which were used to inform future planning. - Staff IT Survey
The NCPR was engaged in surveying ACBC staff about their experiences with the first stage of the IT Project Refresh to gather insights for future implementation processes.
2020
- Professional Development for Bishops Survey
The Permanent Committee of the ACBC invited the NCPR to undertake a survey to investigate the needs for the formation of bishops in their first years of episcopal ministry and for ongoing professional development. - Consecrated Virgins Survey
In preparation for the 50th Anniversary of the promulgation of the Ordo Consecrationis virginum (Order of Consecrated Virgins), the Dicastery in Rome sent a Questionnaire to be completed by each country. The NCPR was engaged to coordinate the responses from Australian dioceses.
2019
- Ad Limina reports
To help dioceses prepare their Quinquennial reports for the 2020 ad limina visit to Rome, the NCPR collated various data from the following sources and provided reports to each diocese:- 2011 and 2016 Census data,
- National Count of Attendance 2011 and 2016,
- National Church Life Survey 2011 and 2016, and
- The Official Catholic Directory 2011-12 and 2016-17.
2018
- Clergy Life and Ministry – International Priests project
The NCPR was commissioned to analyse data from consultations with overseas priests in four dioceses to identify participants’ experiences in Australia. The findings from the project informed future programs to encourage the successful integration of international priests into Australia.
2016
- Catholic Cemeteries NSW
Catholic Cemeteries NSW engaged the PRO to compile a large dataset for the three Sydney dioceses (Sydney, Broken Bay and Parramatta), which included Census data and information about Catholic schools in the area. - Called to Serve: Overseas-born Priests Working in Australia
The project, begun in 2014, sought to gain an accurate figure of the number and the country of origin of overseas-born diocesan priests working in Australia.