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 partnerships that bridge sectors

People are more able to keep contributing to place-based work when relationships hold across organisational and sector boundaries.

Cross-sector partnerships connect community, government, philanthropy and business. They allow knowledge, trust and opportunity to move between contexts. This helps people stay connected as funding, roles or leadership change and keeps capability grounded in place.

Strong partnerships make it easier for people with local knowledge, lived experience or professional skills to contribute in ways that reflect local priorities. Strong partnerships can also help people navigate system barriers, especially when formal processes move more slowly than community momentum.

Reflect on:

the organisations or sectors you collaborate with, and where stronger connections could open access to new participants or communities

the extent to which roles, projects or responsibilities are shared in ways that allow people to enter, contribute and move across contexts

where similar work is happening, and whether stronger relationships could widen participation and shared learning

which community networks or informal relationships could help more people step into the work.

Small step

Map the cross-sector relationships that support the work in your place. Notice which connections are strong, where access flows through these relationships and where strengthening a connection could open opportunities for new participants or communities.

Choose one relationship to deepen through shared learning, a low-stakes collaboration or a simple check-in.

Go deeper

Finding Shared Vision – Place-Based Approaches for Community Change (Queensland Council of Social Service, 2019) outlines practical ways to build shared purpose and alignment across organisations. This can help partnerships widen access and create clearer entry points for people to contribute across sectors.

The APS Mobility Framework – Guidance for managers and Guidance for employees (Australian Public Service Commission, 2021) sets out approaches to temporary moves and secondments. While written for government, the principles can support cross-sector placements that open pathways, enable shared learning and strengthen continuity in place-based work.

Return to 'Opening the door'

Explore the pathway