Empowering communities though a reimagination of place-based initiatives for sustainable change.

What we do

Place-based initiatives represent a collaborative governance approach where multiple sectors (including governments, non-government organisations, and the private sector) collaborate with local communities to identify and address their unique needs and priorities. At ISSR, we acknowledge that conventional one-size-fits-all programs may not effectively address the complex and deeply entrenched challenges faced by communities, and we are pioneering place-based approaches to empower communities to play a central role in decision-making and resource allocation.

We work closely with communities, government, and non-government partners to design, evaluate, and advance the practice of place-based initiatives through shared decision-making, establishing benchmarks, and drawing on evidence from various initiatives to inform policy and practice in community development and governance. Through our research and evaluation, we strive to champion place-based approaches, promote equity, and empower communities to drive positive change in their localities.

Objectives

• Promote and support place-based initiatives.
• Evaluate and develop evaluation frameworks for place-based initiatives.
• Work with partners and communities to design place-based initiatives.
• Build the theoretical basis for place-based ways of working.
• Share the lessons learned from different place-based initiatives.

Project examples

• Foundation Partner for a National Centre for Place Based Collaboration
  Australian Government Department of Social Services
   
• Empowered Communities Partnership: Lessons Learned Project
  National Indigenous Australians Agency
   
• Southern Moreton Bay Islands Community Initiative: A Learnings Evaluation
  Brisbane South Primary Health Network