“Place-based work is not about geography, it's about governance. It's about new models of partnership that centre community voice and decision-making.”
Governance, Not Geography: Place-Based Work
Luke Craven · CEO, PLACE Australia (Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment)
About this episode
In this episode, Matt and Tenille speak with Dr Luke Craven, CEO of PLACE Australia (Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment), about what it really means to take a place-based approach. Luke shares insights from engaging with 53 initiatives nationally, revealing that effective place-based work is fundamentally about governance, not geography. He outlines the three principles of subsidiarity, accountability, and partnership that underpin meaningful practice, and explains why being tight on purpose but loose on the how might be the key to lasting systems change.
Key takeaways
Governance over geography
Place-based work is fundamentally about new models of partnership that centre community voice in decision-making, not simply about doing things in a specific location.
Three core principles
PLACE Australia's framework identifies subsidiarity (devolving power to the most local level), accountability (being answerable to community), and partnership (recognising different stakeholders bring different resources) as the foundations of effective practice.
Domain neutrality enables connection
By not having a thematic focus, PLACE can act as an ecosystem engineer, connecting practitioners solving similar challenges across early years, net zero transition, criminal justice, and beyond.
Change signals healthy adaptation
In startup and pilot contexts, the absence of structural and operational change would be a red flag. Flexibility and responsiveness to context are signs of a genuine learning organisation.
Tight on purpose, loose on the how
The most effective approach is to stay firmly connected to your why while remaining flexible about activities and outputs, rather than being beholden to what was promised in original funding agreements.
Topics covered
- Place-based approaches
- Governance
- Community-led change
- Systems change
- Subsidiarity
- Evaluation and learning
- Cross-sector partnerships