Join us this May 2025 at the national Prevention in Place Conference. Hosted by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation in Melbourne, this two-day conference is dedicated to using place-based approaches to reduce disadvantage and improve wellbeing.
Why attend?
Jon was an ABC broadcaster for over 30 years, including 23 years as host of ABC Melbourne Mornings, and is well known for his innate ability to interrogate the most complex political and social issues.
Luke is the CEO of PLACE, (Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment), a new national organisation that supports the adoption and impact of place-based approaches across Australia.
Professor Sharon Goldfeld is a paediatrician and Director, Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH) the Royal Children’s Hospital, Co-Group leader of Policy and Equity, and Theme Director, Population Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.
Kaj is CEO of Regen Melbourne, an engine for ambitious collaboration that is the catalyst and host of a portfolio of bold projects moving Melbourne towards a regenerative future.
Associate Professor Therese Riley
Associate Professor Therese Riley has been at the forefront of advances in the application of complexity and systems thinking to improve our understanding of intervention design and implementation.
Associate Professor Rebecca Glauert
Since starting her research career, Rebecca’s passion has been to connect data-informed evidence to life-changing interventions and decisions to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of our most vulnerable citizens.
Claire Taylor is an experienced leader in health promotion and social policy with a strong track record in strategy development, system design, collaboration and engagement.
With over 12 years of experience working in place-based change initiatives, Jane specialises in applying systems thinking approaches to drive meaningful outcomes.
Skye is the ADF’s Research and Evaluation Manager. Her applied research and evaluation career has spanned across a range of settings, including community, academic and commercial environments.
Kerry has widespread experience in leading change across societal challenges - including ageing well and end of life, mental health and wellbeing, housing security, youth unemployment, and climate adaptation.
Natasha has provided strategic and operational advice to Government, for purpose organisations, and private clients in areas including health, homelessness, child protection, youth justice, domestic and family violence, community development and others.
Dr Michelle Lucas is the Executive Director of Logan Together, a community-led, place-based collective impact initiative in Queensland which focuses on improving outcomes for the children and families of Logan.
Laura is an experienced leader across the community and public sectors, using systemic inquiry and participatory practices and principles to bring people together to work collaboratively and effectively for change.
As CEO of Burnie Works, Deanna heads up a small diverse team of specialists working to disrupt the systems creating entrenched disadvantage in North West Tasmania.
Professor Calder has worked in health policy for more than three decades and leads the health policy team in the Institute of Health and Sport, as well as the Australian Health Policy Collaboration.
Vanessa is a CEI Director and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Monash University with over 20 years’ experience in health and human services research and evaluation.
Dr Jess Dart is the Chief Evaluator and founder of Clear Horizon – a specialist evaluation firm and B Corp. She has over 30 years’ experience in evaluating and designing social change initiatives.
Rodney is an experienced practitioner and leader in community-led systems change, currently working as a Practice Lead at Collaboration for Impact where he supports complex place-based systems change initiatives in communities across Australia.
Stuart was responsible for the establishment of Jobs Tasmania and the Regional Jobs Hub Network in Tasmania - a place-based, outcomes-funded approach to lifting employment and workforce participation.
As Board Member and strategic consultant to Kangaroo Island Our Town, Priscilla has recently focussed on developing strategies and projects which bring young people into the decision making centre.
Inala Primary Care is Queensland’s largest social housing community; a multi-award winning practice because of its focus on patients and innovation. Tracey has been CEO for over 10 years. She is research active and has co-created a co-design framework.
Chris works with over 155 place-based, community-led Neighbourhood Centres in his role with the peak body, Neighbourhood Centres Queensland. He has co-designed frameworks, policies and funding regimes to address shared local concerns and aspirations.
Daniel is a proud Gamilaraay (NSW) man who has family ties to the Gubi Gubi nation (QLD). He has a passion for helping Aboriginal children and youth caught in the criminal justice system and has spent his working life in the justice sector.
Natalie is passionate about facilitating effective and enduring responses to issues facing rural communities. Her 25-year career spans the non-profit and philanthropic sector in consulting, fundraising and partnerships, and organisation development roles.
Anish has expertise in co-designs, program development and mentoring, and has been involved in projects aimed at supporting young African Australians into excellence.
Abraham’s research interests include youth violence, risk, and protective factors for offending, and culturally and linguistically diverse young people.
Fiona is internationally renowned for her contributions to child welfare, child health and service reform, specialising in child protection, child and adolescent mental health and the translation of research into policy, practice and legislation.
Aunty Neva Wilson is an Aboriginal Elder and community leader from the Ngarrindjeri Nation. Her passion is changing political situations for Aboriginal people through education, advocacy & participation in yarning circles to explore alternative solutions.
Deb is a proud Ngarrindjeri woman. Her career spans more than 40 years of service to South Australia's Aboriginal community. She currently leads the community-led Justice Reinvestment in SA, working with the Australian Red Cross and Tiraapendi Wodli team.
A passionate advocate for social change, Kenny has played pivotal roles in amplifying the voices of marginalised communities, leveraging her expertise to advocate for a more inclusive society, championing policies that promote diversity and equity.
Deb has been walking and working alongside others in Logan using a Collective Impact approach. She is well connected to community and has a strong focus on partnership development to create strong child friendly communities. She is a proud Bidgera woman.
Meg leads a team of Health Promotion Coordinators who use systems approaches to drive sustainable, community-led change.
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Two Days: Tue 6 - Wed 7 May, 2025
| Standard Full 2 day admission with lunch and refreshments from Mar 17, 2025. | $769 |
| Student (student ID required) | $425 |
| Group Booking Full 2 day admission with lunch and refreshments. 10% discount when purchasing 5 or more tickets. | $689 |
Invoices available upon request please contact jasmine.nguyen@adf.org.au
I am extremely excited to announce the Prevention in Place Conference, hosted by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
This will be the place for people working to improve lives around the country, to gather, network, share, learn and be inspired.
The place where people from many different sectors will be united by their passion for using place-based approaches to create thriving communities.
It’s an approach that has been at the heart of the ADF’s work for many decades and I’ve been privileged to witness the power of communities when it comes to identifying their own local challenges and turning them around.
I’m looking forward to sharing these stories with you as well as learnings and insights from thought leaders, experienced practitioners and communities themselves.
I encourage you to join us in Melbourne in May as we bring the vision for a Prevention in Place Conference to life, to grow the national skills base for using place-based approaches to positively impact lives and wellbeing.
“Place-based approaches (PBAs) are collaborative, long-term approaches to build thriving communities delivered in a defined geographic location.
“This approach is ideally characterised by partnering and shared design, shared stewardship, and shared accountability for outcomes and impacts.
“PBAs are often used to respond to complex, interrelated or challenging issues.”
Dr Jessica Dart 2018. Commonwealth Government (Department of Social Services) and the Queensland Government (Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors).
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands across Australia upon which we work. We recognise the continued connection of First Nations people to the land, the waterways and to community and kin, and pay respects to Elders past and present.
This event will be held on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.
