Pathways into place-based work

This map shows different ways people contribute to place-based work – individually and collectively. It helps you orient yourself in the work, based on where you are right now. You can start anywhere. Follow what feels familiar, or explore other ways of getting involved. Click a pathway or practice point to explore further.

Don’t know where to start? Visit the landing pages for Collective pathways and Individual pathways to get a sense for the different parts of the map.

Pathways Map - Key

This map shows different ways people contribute to place-based work - individually and collectively - and where those forms of work connect.

Colours

Green - Individual pathways

Red - Collective pathways

Pathways

Each colour contains three pathways.

Pathways represent different ways of contributing, not stages or levels.

Practice points

Each circle represents a practice within a pathway.

Select a highlighted practice point to explore reflections, activities and resources.

You can visit practices in any order and return to them at any time.

Overlaps

The blue highlighted areas show where individual and collective pathways connect.

These highlight shared practices that influence both personal contribution and the wider conditions for place-based work.

Overlaps are shared ground, not additional steps.

How to use the map

There is no start or end.

Begin wherever feels most relevant to you.

Explore one pathway or move between several.

The map is designed for exploration rather than a fixed sequence.

Building structures that hold care

Routines, agreements and ways of working shape how people connect, learn and look after one another in place-based work.

Not all changes in care or connection show up in reports. You often see them in stories, reflections, or in how relationships grow and deepen.

Meetings, decision-making, reporting and pace signal what is valued and how people are expected to take part. Small shifts in these routines can make the work feel more caring and sustainable.

Reflect on:

how time, attention and support move through your place – and whose work is recognised as a result

the rhythms created by meetings, funding timelines or partner expectations, and how they affect people’s ability to pause, connect or stay involved

what helps people feel safe to speak honestly, step back when needed, or ask for support – and what makes that harder.

Small step

Choose one routine – a team meeting, onboarding step or reporting process. Notice how it supports (or limits) relationships and local insight. Identify one small shift that could help people feel more supported, connected or able to contribute.

Go deeper

Collaborative Governance: An introductory practice guide (Collaboration for Impact, 2020) describes how shared decision-making, authority and roles can be organised across organisations and sectors, helping create the conditions for trust, shared responsibility and care in place-based work.

Supporting volunteers in place-based work (PLACE, 2025) explores how volunteer roles can be designed and supported to share responsibility, build trust and sustain community-led contribution.

Return to 'Sustaining care and connection'

Explore the pathway