At Learning Creates, we centre young people because meaningful systems change is only possible when those most affected by the system have a genuine role in shaping it. Young people engage with our learning systems every day, giving them critical insight into what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to shift. Their lived experience surfaces blind spots, challenges long-held assumptions, and strengthens the quality and relevance of solutions.
In all our work, young people contribute as collaborators and co-designers – not consultees. This ensures that ideas for change are grounded in what genuinely supports engagement, agency, purpose and opportunity.
Since we began, a core principle of Learning Creates Australia has been employing young people in paid, purposeful roles – as Associates: co-researchers, facilitators, communicators and advisors.
Our Associate Model
We employ and partner with young people aged 15–25 from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences as casual staff members. They work with us on:
- Research and co-design projects
- Youth-led communications and storytelling
- Community and systems-change initiatives with schools, systems and tertiary bodies
Our approach is built around five key elements that young people identified as most important:
#1
Recognising voices and abilities
#2
Prioritising the needs of the whole person
#3
Leadership, agency and independence
#4
Supporting Diversity
#5
Strengthening connections
Safety, Safeguarding and Support
Because we work with young people on complex, sometimes confronting systems-change issues, safety is built in from the start. Over many years of working with young people we have developed and refined strong safeguarding measures, including:
- A safeguarding culture and a Commitment Statement that clearly sets out what young people can expect from us – around safety, respect, agency, voice and honesty and how we will hold ourselves accountable.
- Staff trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid, so the team is better equipped to recognise and respond when young people are experiencing mental health challenges.
- Paid, confidential coaching for associates that covers their whole lives – not just project tasks – giving them a trusted adult to reflect with, debrief and ask for help.
- Additional specialist support where needed, such as partnering with First Nations-led mental health organisations for First Nations associates working with confronting content.
Associates told us this support helped them stay well, learn from mistakes and keep their “spark for change alive” in demanding systems-change work.
