Continuum of place-based approaches

Place-based approaches can exist on a continuum, from small, low intensity approaches with a specific focus, through to high level integrated place-based collective impact initiatives. Place-based approaches range in terms of the scope of the focus of the approach, the level of complexity of the issues they seek to address, the breadth of stakeholders involved, and the length of time and resourcing required. However, the features and principles of place-based approaches should be included at all levels.

We have represented the continuum in this tab format looking each individual feature and how it looks with the continuum of approaches. To see this information laid out in a table download the printable version at the bottom of this page.

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
Focus can be on one or multiple factors, depending on the level of complexity of potential future place-based approaches. This forms part of the building understanding of place.	Focus is often on one specific social need or contributing factor, for example, mainstream disability inclusion.	Focus may be on one or two contributing factors to systemic disadvantage, for example, education and parenting.	Focus is across many contributing factors to systemic disadvantage including education, housing, employment, health, as well as cultural and systematic inequality and disadvantage. Although focus is broad, the approach is sometimes targeted at one part of the life span, for example, early childhood development.

Laying the foundations

Low intensity

Medium intensity

High intensity

Focus can be on one or multiple factors, depending on the level of complexity of potential future place-based approaches. This forms part of the building understanding of place.

Focus is often on one specific social need or contributing factor, for example, mainstream disability inclusion.

Focus may be on one or two contributing factors to systemic disadvantage, for example, education and parenting.

Focus is across many contributing factors to systemic disadvantage including education, housing, employment, health, as well as cultural and systematic inequality and disadvantage.

Although focus is broad, the approach is sometimes targeted at one part of the life span, for example, early childhood development.

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
Light	Moderate	Heavy	Intensive

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
Occurs in a geographically bound location and involves a focus on local needs, local solutions, and the unique attributes of a place.	Occurs in a geographically bound location and involves a focus on local needs, local solutions, and the unique attributes of a place, and systemic level factors impacting uniquely on place.	Occurs in a geographically bound location and involves a focus on local needs, local solutions, the unique attributes of a place, and systemic level factors impacting uniquely on place.	Occurs in a geographically bound location and involves a focus on local needs, local solutions, the unique attributes of a place, and systemic level factors impacting uniquely on place.

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
A specific group come together to identify a specific social need or contributing factor and agree to work together to create change.	Select stakeholders from some sections of the community, government and/or industry come together to find common ground, create a shared vision for the future, and commit to changing to achieve a shared outcome.	Stakeholders broadly from across community, government and industry come together to find common ground, create a shared vision for the future, and commit to changing to achieve a shared outcome.	A large group of stakeholders from across extensive areas of community, government and industry work across sectors to find common ground, create a shared vision for the future, and commit to changing to achieve a shared outcome.

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
Working amongst a specific group of stakeholders to create shared understandings and new connections. Light planning associated with specific actions arising from community priorities.	Increased collaboration between select stakeholders from across select parts of the community, government and/or industry. Development of a combined action plan which may outline shared vision, shared outcomes, governance mechanisms, and projects that contribute to achieve the vision. Working together includes identifying overlap with organisational role and purpose and community priorities and allocating existing resources to achieving shared vision.	Stakeholders broadly from across community, government and industry work together to identify key community challenges and responses. Development of combined action plan which outlines shared vision, shared outcomes, governance mechanisms, and projects that contribute to achieve the vision. May also identify targets and measurements, and evaluation approaches. Working together may include sharing resources or reforming services and partnerships to better match community priorities and achieve shared vision.	A large group of stakeholders from across multiple sectors, cross-community and cross-government collaborate and work differently. Development of one community action plan outlining shared vision, shared outcomes, governance mechanisms, projects that contribute to achieve the vision, targets and measurements, and evaluation approaches. Action plan also often includes joint, standardised reporting or even shared measurement, and may include resourcing for a structure to support collaboration, such as a backbone support or container for change. Working together may involve pooling of resources or restructuring or reforming systems to better match community priorities and achieve shared vision.

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
Engagement that may be time-limited and involve consultation or involvement only (18) . For example: town hall style meetings; local media; information through local community service networks.	Engagement that may be time-limited but involves some degree of involvement of and collaboration with the public (23) . For example: two-day forums ; focus groups; local media; information through local community service networks.	Engagement is ongoing and includes involving, collaborating with and empowering the public(23). For example: workshops and multi-day forums; focus groups; one-on-one meetings; local media; information through local community service networks.	Once established, the backbone support is responsible for implementation of a broad and deep engagement strategy that seeks to include deeply excluded members of the community and those with lived experience, as well as business, government and the community sector. Engagement is ongoing and includes involving, collaborating with and empowering the public (23).

Laying the foundations

Low intensity

Medium intensity

High intensity

Engagement that may be time-limited and involve consultation or involvement only . For example: town hall style meetings; local media; information through local community service networks.

Engagement that may be time-limited but involves some degree of involvement of and collaboration with the public . For example: two-day forums ; focus groups; local media; information through local community service networks.

Engagement is ongoing and includes involving, collaborating with and empowering the public. For example: workshops and multi-day forums; focus groups; one-on-one meetings; local media; information through local community service networks.

Once established, the backbone support is responsible for implementation of a broad and deep engagement strategy that seeks to include deeply excluded members of the community and those with lived experience, as well as business, government and the community sector.

Engagement is ongoing and includes involving, collaborating with and empowering the public (23).

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
Establishment of local structure for the duration of the initiative such as a local working group. Terms of Reference or MOU used to outline stakeholder roles and responsibilities. No change in service commissioning process.	Establishment of a local structure to support coordination, such as a local working group. Terms of Reference or MOU used to outline stakeholder roles and responsibilities. No change in service commissioning process.	Establishment of a local structure to support collaboration, such as a local leadership group and associated working groups. Terms of Reference or MOU used to outline stakeholder roles and responsibilities. Potential review and restructure of the commissioning of services. Dependent on agreement between government and community sector.	Establish a backbone support or container for change, and establish a governance structure to support the container for change, such as a Cross Sector Leadership Table and a range of working groups. Formal roles and responsibilities agreed between government, community sector and community stakeholders. May be aspirationally moving towards joint commissioning of services.

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
Initial use of data to highlight specific issues relevant to the local community. Evaluation of value of building shared understandings and connections.	Use of data to identify and understand specific issues relevant to the local community. A cycle of learning and innovation to prototype new ways of working. Evaluation of value of place-based approach.	High ongoing use and analysis of data to identify and understand specific community needs and opportunities, and likely to be aiming for shared population-level outcomes, while tracking early and emerging trends. A cycle of learning and innovation to prototype new ways of working. Evaluation of value of place-based approach.	Ongoing use, interrogation and sense making of data to identify and understand specific community needs and opportunities, and evaluate progress towards outcomes and inform planning; shared measurement of indicators for activity and population-level outcomes are common, as well as tracking of early and emerging trends. A cycle of learning and innovation to prototype new ways of working. Evaluation of value of place-based approach.

Laying the foundations

Low intensity

Medium intensity

High intensity

Initial use of data to highlight specific issues relevant to the local community. Evaluation of value of building shared understandings and connections.

Use of data to identify and understand specific issues relevant to the local community. A cycle of learning and innovation to prototype new ways of working. Evaluation of value of place-based approach.

High ongoing use and analysis of data to identify and understand specific community needs and opportunities, and likely to be aiming for shared population-level outcomes, while tracking early and emerging trends. A cycle of learning and innovation to prototype new ways of working. Evaluation of value of place-based approach.

Ongoing use, interrogation and sense making of data to identify and understand specific community needs and opportunities, and evaluate progress towards outcomes and inform planning; shared measurement of indicators for activity and population-level outcomes are common, as well as tracking of early and emerging trends.

A cycle of learning and innovation to prototype new ways of working. Evaluation of value of place-based approach.

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
12 months	12 months – 2 years (potentially ongoing)	12 months – 3 years (potentially ongoing)	10 years +

Laying the foundations	Low intensity	Medium intensity	High intensity
Changing Lives, Changing Communities forums Townsville NDIS Disability Project	QFCC – Capricornia QFCC – Hervey Bay	Every Child Central Queensland Cairns South Collective Impact	Logan Together (Qld) Hands Up Mallee (Vic) Go Goldfields (WA)

Jargon alert

Backbone supports or containers for change are key structures in collective impact initiatives. They facilitate the process of building shared vision and implementing shared plans. A backbone organisation might be an independent organisation with dedicated resources to support a place-based or collective impact initiative, whereas backbone support and containers for change might include roles embedded within other organisations, or where various functions of the backbone support move between people and organisations at different times.