Victoria University and Youth Activating Youth announce partnership

Victoria University (VU) is proud to announce a new partnership with Youth Activating Youth (YAY), a non-profit organisation supporting disadvantaged multi-cultural youth re-engage with their communities.  

Now based at VU’s Footscray Nicholson campus, Youth Activating Youth (YAY) delivers a range of youth-led services and programs, including internships designed by and for young people. These initiatives help address the complex social challenges facing young people while building confidence, leadership skills, and community connections. 

CEO Ahmed Hassan co-founded YAY with current Board Member Ali Ahmed in 2014 to ensure young people from multi-cultural backgrounds don’t “fall through the cracks”. More than a decade later, and with the help of committed volunteers, YAY has supported countless youth re-engage with their communities and bridge cultural divides. 

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Victoria University and to be welcomed into the VU Nicholson campus. This partnership creates opportunities for YAY and the young people we support, from education and employment pathways through to rehabilitation, research and evaluation. We’re excited about what this partnership can deliver for multicultural young people and look forward to working closely with VU to make a meaningful difference in the community.” 

The new partnership also includes student placement opportunities for students studying Community Development, Youth Work, Law, Business, Social Work and Screen Media, along with: 

• Referral opportunities for YAY young people and their support network to VU’s clinics, including Psychology, Tax and Aura Salon 
• Research evaluation of the Crime Prevention through Lived Experience program 
• Education, training and employment pathways for YAY young people and their support network through VU, including connecting with the Skills and Jobs Centre  

VU’s Wade Noonan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor External Relations and Partnerships said the new arrangement has the potential for positive impact across our shared community. 

"This is an important partnership that brings together two organisations committed to equity, inclusion, and opportunity. Together, VU and YAY will work to create positive outcomes for multicultural young people by sharing knowledge, developing new initiatives, and expanding opportunities, particularly in Melbourne’s west". 

VU is one of the country’s most culturally diverse universities, with students and staff representing more than 90 cultures and speaking over 200 languages. Almost half of VU students come from non-English speaking backgrounds, a reflection of the regions proud, multicultural history that continues to positively shape the community in the west.