A message from the Chief Executive Officer

Sean Cory, Chief Executive Officer

National interest in the Our Place approach and school community platform models has continued to grow. The Australian Government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee and Independent Panel for the Independent Expert Panel’s Review to Inform a Better and Fairer Education System both made recommendations for the adoption of school community platform models as an impactful way of tackling inequitable educational outcomes.

Our Place is also working collaboratively with advocacy partners across Australia such as the National Child and Family Hubs Network, Schools as Community Platforms Working Group and the Early Home Learning Network. In 2024, there were a record number of visits to Our Place sites with over 30 external groups – including a number of Victorian Government departments and interstate organisations – seeking to learn and understand how to adapt the approach into new contexts.

Our partnership with the Victorian Department of Education remains a critical and valued enabler of our work. Through the Our Place Inter-Departmental Committee and other governance groups, we are working together to deliver our ambitious agenda with communities and to identify how the evidence and lessons from our work can be adopted in wider policy.

A significant milestone this year was the execution of a new data-sharing agreement between Colman Education Foundation, the Department of Education, the Paul Ramsay Foundation and Nous Group. This agreement will improve the ability to track the impacts of Our Place by using student-level data to provide richer data to inform future evaluations.

None of this would be possible without the steadfast support of our philanthropic partners. The Our Place Philanthropic Alliance enables us to amplify the impact and the adoption of the Our Place approach. This year we were thrilled to welcome the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust as a strategic funding partner through their commitment for funding to support our Morwell site and backbone team.

As we look ahead to 2025, we are turning our focus to ensuring the sustainability of the impact of Our Place sites beyond 2029, when the current partnership with the Victorian Government concludes. Our ambition is to see the broader adoption of the Our Place approach, aiming to make integrated, school-based community platforms the standard practice for supporting children and families experiencing disadvantage, not the exception.

After guiding the development and implementation of the Our Place approach for more than a decade, June McLoughlin AM made the decision to formally retire at the end of 2024.

June's leadership, passion, and unwavering commitment has left an indelible mark on the education landscape of Victoria through her instrumental role in shaping Doveton College and the subsequent evolution of Our Place. 
Her exceptional career has spanned early learning, disability, community, health, and government, always focused on improving outcomes for children and families, particularly for vulnerable groups.

It has been a privilege to work alongside June and witness the lasting impact of her leadership. Many policies and investments in Victoria’s early years agenda reflect her influence. June leaves behind an inspiring foundation for continued success. Her wisdom and passion will be sorely missed. We wish June the very best in her well-earned retirement.

Sean Cory, Chief Executive Officer