Youth Activating Youth

Pathways to education & employment

On-campus: Footscay Nicholson

Research evaluation of key programs

Victoria University's (VU) partnership with Youth Activating Youth (YAY) supports young people from across Melbourne and Victoria to strengthen their connection to education, employment and community.

Youth Activating Youth is a youth-led not-for-profit organisation that supports disadvantaged multicultural young people to reconnect with their communities and achieve positive life outcomes. Established in 2014, YAY has grown from a local youth committee into a statewide organisation working with young people, families, schools, community organisations and government partners.

About our collaboration

VU and Youth Activating Youth share a belief that all young people should have equal opportunities to succeed, regardless of the social, cultural or economic barriers they may face. Our partnership is built on shared values of social equity and inclusion, multiculturalism as a strength, and education and workforce participation as key drivers of community wellbeing.

Our partnership will see Youth Activating Youth based at our VU Footscray Nicholson Campus, providing a new home for the organisation to continue their innovative youth-led programs, mentoring initiatives and community partnerships.

The partnership between YAY and VU also includes:

creating education, training and employment opportunities for young people through VU’s TAFE and university programs, and with industry partners
delivering workshops, skills development activities and career pathway initiatives through VU's Skills and Jobs Centre
supporting VU student placements and community-based projects across areas such as Youth Work, Community Development, Social Work, Law, Business and Screen Media
connecting YAY participants and families to VU services, including student-led clinics and community programs
collaborating on research and evaluation projects that support evidence-informed youth and community outcomes.