An innovative program of research and action to help the flourishing of children, young people, and families.
We are working with communities in Logan, Queensland, and Brimbank, Victoria, to co-create evidence-informed responses that harness the strengths, resources and opportunities that are already in place and to address local needs. By helping to build the capacity of individuals, organisations and creating scalable solutions, Pathways Place aims to achieve systemic change that extends well beyond the life of the program. For more information, see our full program website.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is committed to providing inclusive, equitable, and quality education, while fostering partnerships for the goals.
Our plan
Pathways in Place has been funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation, and is being led by Victoria University and Griffith University. The Program will leverage the deep community ties and the expertise of these two universities, and has three key strategic objectives:
- To extend the evidence base about how place-based approaches can strengthen support systems that lead to the flourishing of children and young people.
- To develop tools and guidance to support other communities, initiatives, and decision-makers to replicate successful approaches.
- To build capacity and support the workforce that enables place-based approaches.
What is co-creation?
Co-creation is a collaborative effort between researchers, practitioners, decision-makers, and community residents to jointly identify local challenges and to design, implement, and evaluate potential solutions. As an approach, co-creation frames local issues within the lived experience of residents and service providers to make sure any activities are meaningful to a given community.
Our joint program
Griffith University and Victoria University are each leading one of two complementary program streams, focusing on two key life phases: early learning and developmental pathways, and pathways through education to employment. Together, we work from pregnancy through infancy and early education, the school years, and into early adulthood to strengthen the capacity of education, health, and community organisations to support children, young people and families.
Both program streams are underpinned by a commitment to engaging with the community in ways that are inclusive, equitable, clear in roles and responsibilities, and respectful. This is summarised in five core principles, adapted from the CREATE Change Cycle, that form the foundation for how Pathways in Place will approach co-creation across all its activities:
- Collaborating for inclusive participation
- Maintaining and building trusting and respectful relationships
- Prevention and promotion
- Accountability
- Evidence-informed practice.
Logan: Early and middle years
At Griffith University, we begin with antenatal support and cover the health and learning pathways in Logan that impact on a young person’s development up to the age of fifteen. Working with community organisations, schools, families, and frontline professionals, Pathways in Place aims to ensure that children in Logan have a successful start to school and improved opportunities for continuous learning and development.
Griffith's Logan campus has been part of the local community for more than 20 years, and has built a diverse network of partnerships with community service providers, organisations, and movements. By leveraging these partnerships, and developing new ones, we are co-creating community-focused solutions that will support children, young people, and families in Logan to flourish.
We are committed to sharing learnings from our work widely, in an ongoing process of feedback, evaluation, and refinement.
Find out more
Want to ask a question? Interested in supporting our work? We would love to hear from you.