Building the Capacity of Young Change-Makers

There is an enormous desire amongst young people to be agents of social change, yet they find that the opportunities do not exist in the job market to support them creating impact. The challenge of young people transitioning from the formal education system into social impact work results from three key challenges: there is a mismatch between the number of graduates seeking employment and the number of job opportunities available; the formal education system does not adequately prepare young people to step into positions of leadership, and the selection criteria applied by employers excludes potential young talent.

While many organisations have existing internships and educational programs, they are often too narrow and tokenistic. Young people are capable of more than photocopying and getting coffee, and similarly, they require the opportunity to acquire and practice a broad range of skills. Oaktree will train, educate and empower program participants on how they can lead and mobilise the community to take collective action in creating a better community and a more just world to live in. The skills development and knowledge that participants learn, will guide their decisions in the workforce and in building their communities as our future leaders.