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Empowering young people to imagine and build a better society

When VFFF launched the Backing Young People strategy in 2021, a priority was seeking opportunities to strengthen the capacity of organisations by providing core and capacity-building funding. VFFF supports organisations and individuals in taking their work to the next level—going beyond program delivery to invest in the broader environment that enables young people to thrive.

Now, four years into the Backing Young People strategy, Young Change Agents has become the first partner within the Contributing to Society focus area to complete its funding period.

In March 2023, VFFF approved $600,000 over two years in core operations funding, supporting Young Change Agents to amplify youth voice and measure impact.

A social enterprise dedicated to cultivating entrepreneurial mindsets, skillsets, and toolsets in young people, Young Change Agents empowers youth to imagine and help build a better society.

A group of Young People gathered in front of signage at a conference

The Young Change Agents Youth Council

Over the two-year grant period, Young Change Agents engaged more than 66,000 young people—bringing their all-time reach to over 190,000 youth empowered to drive positive change in their communities.

Flexible, core support enabled Young Change Agents to:

🧭 Embed youth voice in strategic direction through the establishment of the Young Change Agents Youth Council

🔗 Grow their alumni and mentorship program, fostering deeper connections and opportunities for young people to shape better futures

📍 Expand their reach across rural and regional Australia, ensuring greater equity of access

🤝 Strengthen partnerships to enhance access for First Nations young people and young people living with disability

👩‍🏫 Scale their impact by investing in educator capacity-building, strengthening delivery and

About the impact of core funding, Young Change Agent says:

VFFF has played a pivotal role in supporting our organisation through a period of strategic transition and growth. As we evolved our delivery model to prioritise educator capacity building and scalable, long-term impact, VFFF’s funding gave us the confidence to pursue innovative shifts and adapt with purpose.”