Action - Analysis - Reflection - Change

Useful Projects provides social research, planning, monitoring and evaluation, professional supervision and facilitation services – of all shapes and sizes.Useful Projects is owned and managed by Gretchen Ennis (BA, BSW Hons, PhD).Gretchen has spent over 25 years as a social work practitioner and educator. She is an experienced academic, community-based research and evaluation consultant, musician and art-maker.

Useful projects operates on the land of the Dja Dja Wurrung People (Central Vic) and Larrakia People (Darwin) and pays respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Examples of recent Useful Projects

NTAHC: Youth Sexual Health & Relationships Program 'The Spot' (current)
2026
A collaborative evaluation exploring the implementation, processes and outcomes of The Spot Clinic, education and workshop sessions and newly development resources.
Qubit Incubator Darwin (current)
2026
Developmental evaluation with Qubit Incubator and Gallery experimental art development and knowledge sharing across the NT (Fellowship Program).
Fitzroy Learning Network
2025
Collaborative local research project taking place from 2024 to 2025: The Neighborhood House and its Impacts on People and Place
Darwin Street Art Festival
2024
Facilitation of strategic planning process and development of 5-year strategic plan
Ngukurr Language Centre
2024
Facilitation of strategic planning process and development of 5-year strategic plan.
Melaleuca Australia
2023
Evaluation of 'Embrace: Multicultural Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Project'
Exploring the Choice & Partnership Approach (CAPA) at headspace Darwin: Implementation Evaluation
2023
Useful Projects worked collaboratively with headspace Darwin to co-design this implementation evaluation, completed in May 2023.
'I feel seen and heard' Enhanced Care at headspace Darwin: Evaluation Report.
2023
The process evaluation of this Youth Enhanced Service took place from January to June 2023.
Palmerston Child & Family Centre: Children's Voice Project
2023
In 2023, the Palmerston Children's Voice project explored what young children (focused on 0 to 10 years of age) like about where they live, and what they would like to change.
Palmerston Child & Family Centre: AEDC Community Consultations
2023
In early 2023, Useful Projects worked in partnership with the Palmerston Child & Family Centre and the Palmerston Indigenous Network to find out what helps families grow up strong learners in Palmerston (Gray and Moulden).
Youth Sexual Health Clinic (Darwin & Katherine) Evaluation
2022
A year-long evaluation program working in partnership with NT AIDS & Hepatitis Council, headspace Darwin, headspace Katherine and the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).
Connection is the Key: Youth Well-being in Palmerston
2021
During 2021 Gretchen has worked with Grow Well, Live Well Palmerston to facilitate a co-designed, community-based mixed-method research project exploring the protective assets that enhance youth well-being in Palmerston, NT.
Palmerston Youth Activity Grant Evaluation
2021
The Palmerston Youth Activity Grant is part of the NT Government's Regional Youth Activity Grants program. These grants have been providing activities for 10–17 year olds during school holidays and after school times over the past 3 years. This collaborative evaluation was completed in May 2021 and was informed by an Evaluation Reference Group of activity providers and community leaders in Palmerston working to improve outcomes for young people.
HeArt Arts In Cancer Care Project
2021
This evaluation involved working with arts organisations, artists and health services in Darwin NT to develop an understanding of the impacts of a range of arts activities in the care of people with a cancer diagnosis.
Child Australia/Bagot Aboriginal Community Programs Evaluation
2021
Using a developmental evaluation framework, Gretchen has worked with Bagot Aboriginal Community and Child Australia in the NT since 2013 to develop, implement and complete the evaluation of four community based programs, including a Collective Impact program.

Useful projects operates on the land of the Dja Dja Wurrung People (Central Vic) and Larrakia People (Darwin) and pays respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

A sample of recent publications. Contact Gretchen for copies.

Handling the worst: A review of approaches to handling trauma materials for the minimization of worker distress
2026
Nicholas, A., & Ennis, G. (2026). Handling the worst: A review of approaches to handling trauma materials for the minimization of worker distress. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/15555240.2026.2621352
Exploring Aboriginal community views in wildlife-based enterprise development
2023
Gorman, J., Ennis, G., Wurm, P., Bentivoglio, M., & Brady, C. (2023). Aboriginal Community Views about a Native Plant-Based Enterprise Development in Northern Australia. Land, 12(5), 1096. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12051096
The kere of Madagascar: A qualitative exploration of community experiences and perspectives
2022
Ralaingita, M., Ennis, G., Russell-Smith, J., Sangha, K., Razanakoto, T. (2022) The kere of Madagascar: A qualitative exploration of community experiences and perspectives. Ecology & Society, March, 27:1, DOI: 10.5751/ES-12975-270142
Community engagement in Aboriginal enterprise development: Kakadu Plum as a case analysis
2022
Gorman, J. & Ennis, G. (2022) Community engagement in Aboriginal enterprise development: Kakadu Plum as a case analysis. The Journal of Rural Studies. 92:2, 109-119. DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.03.020
Collective Impact: A Review of the Peer-reviewed Research
2020
Ennis, G. & Tofa, M. (2020) Collective Impact: A Review of the Peer-reviewed Research, Australian Social Work, 73:1, 32-47, DOI: 10.1080/0312407X.2019.1602662
The energy-enhancing potential of participatory performance-based arts activities in the care of people with a diagnosis of cancer: an integrative review
2019
Ennis, G., Kirshbaum, M. & Waheed, N. (2019) The energy-enhancing potential of participatory performance-based arts activities in the care of people with a diagnosis of cancer: an integrative review, Arts & Health, 11:2, 87-103, DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2018.1443951
‘It’s like exercise for your soul’: how participation in youth arts activities contributes to young people’s wellbeing
2018
Ennis, G. & Tonkin , J. (2018) ‘It’s like exercise for your soul’: how participation in youth arts activities contributes to young people’s wellbeing, Journal of Youth Studies, 21:3, 340-359, DOI: 10.1080/13676261.2017.1380302
Can workplaces foster an openness to diversity surreptitiously?”
2018
Moss, S., Ennis, G., Zander, K., Bartram, T. and Hedley, D. (2018), “Can workplaces foster an openness to diversity surreptitiously?”, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 37 No. 8, pp. 750-762. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-11-2017-0260
Critically Reflecting on the Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics: Learning from a Social Work Field Placement
2017
Patil, T. & Ennis, G. (2018) Critically Reflecting on the Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics: Learning from a Social Work Field Placement, The British Journal of Social Work, Volume 48, Issue 5, July, Pages 1370–1387, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcx101
The beneficial attributes of visual art-making in cancer care: An integrative review
2017
Ennis, G, Kirshbaum, M, Waheed, N. (2018) The beneficial attributes of visual art-making in cancer care: An integrative review. Eur J Cancer Care. 27:e12663. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.12663
Art in Cancer Care: Exploring the Role of Visual Art-Making Programs Within an Energy Restoration Framework
2017
Kirshbaum, M., Ennis, G., Waheed, N. & Carter, F. (2017) Art in Cancer Care: Exploring the Role of Visual Art-Making Programs Within an Energy Restoration Framework. European Journal of Oncology Nursing. Vol 29. pp.71-78. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2017.05.003
How to Inspire, Rather than Instruct, Recruiters to Select Diverse Ethnicities.
2016
Moss, S., Ennis, G., Zander, K., Davis, M., Wilson, S. & Alexi, N. (2016) How to Inspire, Rather than Instruct, Recruiters to Select Diverse Ethnicities. Helenic Journal of Psychology. Vol 13 pp116-130.
Silence as a Discourse is the Public Sphere: Media Representations of Australians ‘Joining the Fight’ in Syria.
2016
Patil, T., & Ennis, G. (2016) Silence as a Discourse is the Public Sphere: Media Representations of Australians ‘Joining the Fight’ in Syria. Social Alternatives. Vol 35 (1).
A Boom for Whom? Exploring the Impacts of a Rapid Increase in Male Population upon Women’s Services in Darwin, Northern Territory.
2016
Ennis, G., Tofa, M., Finlayson, M. & U’ren, J. (2016) A Boom for Whom? Exploring the Impacts of a Rapid Increase in Male Population upon Women’s Services in Darwin, Northern Territory. Violence Against Women. Vol 23 (5). DOI: 10.1177/1077801216644994

For the complete list of Gretchen's citations, please visit her google scholar page linked below

Useful projects operates on the land of the Dja Dja Wurrung People (Central Vic) and Larrakia People (Darwin) and pays respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

With over 15 years of experience of supervising social work and community development practitioners and students, Gretchen can provide professional supervision that works for you.Gretchen’s approach to supervision involves getting to know you and your learning needs, and co-creating a plan to grow your skills and knowledge.Gretchen is an accredited member of the Australian Association of Social Worker (AASW) and the Australian Evaluation Society (AES)

What Gretchen’s clients are saying about her supervision:

"As a new manager in a large NT workplace and having recently shifted to Darwin I knew very few people and hardly anyone at my level to bounce ideas off. I feel very thankful I was able to meet with you. I enjoyed your calm caring personality and how prepared you were with information, written and verbal"
- Jackie Broughton, Social Worker.

"Gretchen’s knowledge about community development was the reason I had sought social worker supervision from her. I was a new team leader of a diverse community development team and wanted to convince myself I had impeccable academic/theory credentials. Gretchen gave me so much more."
- Justine Mickle, Social Worker/Community Development Practitioner.

Action - analysis - reflection - change

For any inquiries, please reach out directly to Gretchen by using either the email form or provided details below.

action - analysis - reflection - change

[email protected]

For any inquiries, please reach out directly to Gretchen by using the details provided below, or the email form on the right.