Moving forward
2025 Roadmap
Looking back,
moving forward
2025 strategic priorities
The strategy to achieve our vision and mission consists of four pillars and four key enablers.
Pillars
Demonstrate
We collaborate with schools and communities to faithfully implement our approach to improve educational achievement.
Evaluate
We measure, research and analyse the impact of our approach to learn and to create evidence for change.
Communicate
We document our expertise and share the evidence to enable clear understanding of the approach and its impacts.
Influence
We work with partners and policy makers to influence changes that help address structural causes of disadvantage.
Demonstrate
We collaborate with schools and communities to faithfully implement our approach to improve educational achievement.
Evaluate
We measure, research and analyse the impact of our approach to learn and to create evidence for change.
Communicate
We document our expertise and share the evidence to enable clear understanding of the approach and its impacts.
Influence
We work with partners and policy makers to influence changes that help address structural causes of disadvantage.
Enablers
1. Long-term government partnership
Provides infrastructure and governance to support our approach along with a platform to test and advocate for changes within the system.
2. Committed philanthropic partners
Provides long-term funding and enables collaboration with like-minded philanthropy organisations to pursue genuine system change.
3. Distinctive organisational capability
Develop internal capability to execute our strategy and leverage the capability of others to work differently for the benefit children and families.
4. Responsible stewardship and operation
Maximises the benefit of the financial and in-kind contributions of our partners, whilst mitigating the risks that may prevent us creating sustained positive change.
To execute our strategy, the highest priority strategic objectives for Our Place in 2025 are:
In 2025, we are sharpening our focus on the mission-critical priorities that will drive Our Place forward. These priorities are deeply interconnected and will be supported by work across the organisation.
- Embed the practices of a learning organisation to achieve impact for children and families
Our Place was founded on the principles of learning – understanding how to create meaningful impact for children and families through our work at Doveton College. Learning is part of our DNA; we capture the lessons from Doveton, apply them in new communities and continue to refine and adapt our approach over time. However, we recognise that becoming a true learning organisation is a long-term journey.
Creating an environment where team members, partners and community members feel safe providing feedback is essential. We must continuously assess what is working, identify areas for improvement and address gaps that hinder children and families from receiving the support they need to thrive. We acknowledge that there is still much to learn, and we remain committed to ensuring our impact is as significant as possible.
- Build on the quality and depth of evidence of impact of the Our Place approach
Demonstrating the impact of the Our Place approach is fundamental to our work. We have witnessed significant progress and tangible improvements in our communities. Now our challenge is to capture this impact in a way that shows the value delivered by the collective efforts of early learning services, schools, service providers and philanthropy and Government partners.
With the completion of the Emerging Findings Report in 2024 and a clear evaluation plan for the years ahead, 2025 marks a pivotal year for validating the work that is underway across Victoria and our new approach to evaluation from the past two years.
- Sharpen our organisation-wide approach to advocacy for the changes needed for children and families to succeed in life
Our Place has long been a strong advocate for the changes needed to improve outcomes for families and children. Our holistic approach allows us to see firsthand how critical services and supports intersect and how they are often inaccessible or fragmented to those who need them most.
Looking ahead, it has become clear that we need a more targeted approach to defining the changes that matter most and then engaging those that are best placed to adopt and embed these changes in policy and practice.
- Develop a clear and compelling pathway to 2029 and beyond for sustaining the Our Place approach
Our Partnership with the Victorian Government committed to implementing the Our Place approach in nine school sites over ten years. As we enter 2025, we reach the halfway point of implementation and have begun working towards what comes after the end of this Partnership timeline.
Our experience at Doveton College has shown us that ten years is a strong foundation, but the work will not be complete. Addressing intergenerational disadvantage takes time and consistent support to learn and adapt.
Sustaining the Our Place approach beyond the current partnership will require compelling evidence of impact and enabling conditions to embed ongoing ways of working. In 2025, we are developing a preferred pathway that will enable the Our Place approach, and the lessons gained from it, to be embedded for the long-term benefit of children and families