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 collective and individual pathway pages to get a sense of 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.

Starting where I am

Explore this pathway if you are new to place-based work, or moving into a new place, role or phase. It helps you understand where you might fit.

This pathway supports taking first steps at your own pace. Notice what feels meaningful in your place and learn from what is already happening around you.

Many people begin by recognising they already hold relationships, responsibilities or expectations that do not yet have a clear name or structure. Entry often happens through everyday experience – noticing what is happening around you, being invited into conversations or following relationships that build trust.

The reflections below offer ways to learn and experiment through your experiences and relationships in community.

Explore the pathway

Below are each of the points along this pathway. Click through to explore each one.

Identifying what matters to me

Notice what draws your attention in your place. Connections often begin at community gatherings, in cultural spaces, through shared projects or within informal networks. Learning happens through being present and taking part.

Noticing what's around

Notice what is already happening in your place. People often enter place-based work through relationships and local connections, not formal job pathways. Paying attention to where people gather, share and support one another can help you see where you might connect.

Trying things out

One way to explore what fits is to experiment in small ways – volunteering, taking part in a short course, helping at a community event or spending time alongside someone whose work you admire. Notice what feels energising, what doesn’t, and where new connections begin to form.

Staying grounded

As you explore place-based work, take time to check in with yourself and the people around you. Notice your energy, your boundaries and any cultural or community responsibilities you carry. This helps you stay grounded in the work. Pay attention to what balance feels right for you.

What supports this pathway

One-page overview

Download a one-page overview of this pathway to help you get oriented and consider a next step.

Download

A woman in a navy PLACE polo shirt is explaining to a group of people in front of her while gesturing towards a poster on the wall titled 'Learning Journey Map'. It has lots of post-it notes stuck on it.

Deep listening and analysis

Beginning in place-based work often involves listening to stories, relationships and signals around you, so you can understand what matters and where you might connect.

Explore this further

A diverse group of people sit in a large outdoor circle on chairs, attentively listening to a speaker in the centre. Colourful artworks are laid on the ground, and trees and houses surround the gathering on a sunny day.

Valuing local knowledge

Local knowledge and lived experience provide essential insight as you find your footing, so you can recognise what already exists before plans or roles take shape.

Explore this further