The Year of Youth Leadership project is an exploration of just some of the 300 plus remarkable young people who have participated in the program over the last 15 years. A selection of these stories and testimonies are presented here, in this exhibition, showcasing some of the program’s Alumni including where they are now, and their personal reflections and learnings. The displayed frames interweave a series of narratives under one central theme – the impact of diverse youth leadership in local communities.
Learn more about the incredible young people we caught up with below.
Rabia, 2017 Alumni, Construction Finance Officer
Rabia participated in Young Leaders in 2017. She credits the program for both her personal and professional growth through fostering confidence and teamwork skills. Rabia is now a Finance Officer in the construction industry, and still feels the strong sense of community engagement Young Leaders taught her. Her advice to aspiring young leaders? Embrace challenges and prioritise continuous learning.
Bibi Rafia, 2022 Alumni, Pathology Collection Student
Bibi Rafia, who recently engaged in the 2022 Young Leaders cohort, is currently pursuing a Certificate III in Pathology Collection. She is grateful for the unforgettable experiences and sense of belonging that the program provided. Bibi Rafia initially struggled with confidence and shyness, however found the program fostered a supportive environment that encouraged her growth. She invites young people to seize opportunities like this program whenever they can.
Elena, 2023 Alumni, Year 12 STEM Student
Elena is a year 12 student taking mostly STEM subjects. She appreciates the experiences she gained in the 2023 Young Leaders cohort, which have been incredibly beneficial to her resume and applications as she looks towards finishing school this year. Her advice to others is that you just need to start somewhere, like volunteering or small community projects to then build your network and go on to do even bigger things.
Nawed, 2023 Alumni, Youth Ambassador and Facilitator
Nawed, who graduated from the most recent cohort of Young Leaders in 2023, continues making strides in the youth space. Working for Ylab on a project in collaboration with the Victorian Government, he is engaging young people in Dandenong in workshops to gather their ideas for Victoria's future. Mohammad credits Young Leaders for reigniting his passion and helping him rediscover his purpose!
Asmaa, 2019 Alumni, 2021 CGD Young Leader of the Year
Asmaa was the incredible City of Greater Dandenong Young Leader of the Year winner in 2021. Participating in Young Leaders in 2019, she enjoyed spearheading projects that enhanced the Dandenong community. Now, Asmaa remains dedicated to community work, drawing strength from her past involvement in the Young Leaders program. Asmaa encourages us all to step out of our comfort zone, meet new people and explore new experiences!
Aishwarya, 2016 Alumni, Automation Optimisation and Packaging Specialist
Aishwarya is an Automation Optimisation and Packaging Specialist with Woolworths. After completing the Young Leaders program in 2016, Aishwarya went on to study Nutrition Science. She found that Young Leaders taught the valuable skills of planning and event management, and public speaking. About Young Leaders, Aishwarya says 'you can make of it whatever you want, dream big, put your whole self into it and be fully authentic. If you do this, the opportunities for learning and improvement for yourself and the community is endless.'
Sukart, 2017 Alumni, Founder and Director of Stand Out Basketball
Sukart is the founder and director of Stand Out, an organisation engaging young people in basketball sessions, mentoring and tutoring throughout Melbourne. Part of the 2017 Young Leaders cohort, Sukart learnt how to survey the community to understand their needs and deliver programs and events with real benefits. His advice to other young people aspiring to build their leadership skills is to seek out mentors, be proactive in seeking feedback and never underestimate the power of perseverence and resilience.
Seema, 2021 Alumni, Health Information Service Officer
When Seema isn't working as a Health Information Services Officer at local hospitals, she is working on her final year of a Bachelor of Biomedicine majoring in Medical Genomic. Participating in Young Leaders recently in 2021, Seema highly recommends young people join the leadership program to connect with others and enhance their skills when working with the community.
Brandon, 2016 Alumni, Model
Brandon, now a model for JustKhoo, participated in Young Leaders as a Year 11 student in 2016. He encourages those interested to apply for the program, as it builds connections and teaches you the importance of just putting yourself out there. His motto - anything is possible if you put your mind to it, and that you should face your insecurities and fears - it takes courage but confronting them will help you overcome them.
Alexia, 2022 Alumni, Nursing and Midwifery Student
Alexia is enjoying her time completing a Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery. During her time in the 2022 Young Leaders program, she found a public speaking training workshop particularly impactful, and shares that the program has significantly enhanced her leadership skills, especially in communication. Alexia has applied the lessons learned in Young Leaders to many aspects of her life, and to aspiring young leaders says simply to aim high but do not be afraid of failure.
Bhuvan, 2018 Alumni, Medicine Student
Bhuvan, a Medicine Student, is focusing on researching innovative technologies to enhance surgical training. He found the experience of working with others from different backgrounds in the 2018 Young Leaders program really opened his eyes to new perspectives.It also helped to build his confidence and public speaking skills, which have been really useful when working in student advocacy and leadership whilst at uni. Bhuvan continues to be a strong advocate for young people to find their voice, and to articulate the causes that are important to them and their beliefs.
Zakia, 2016 Alumni, Family Violence Practitioner
Zakia, with a Bachelor of Journalism in her pocket, is now pursuing a Master of Counselling. A dedicated advocate for the rights of women and children, Zakia is committed to a career as a family violence practitioner. Through engaging in the 2016 Young Leaders program, she has gained invaluable knowledge about local government and community development. Zakia recommends that young people actively look for opportunities such as the Young Leader program, which provide hands-on experience and guidance from experienced professionals.
Danya, 2022 Alumni, Science and Global Studies Student
Danya was engaged in the 2022 Young Leaders program, and feels it gave her a leg up into the world of leadership. Now studying a double Bachelors in Science and Global Studies, Danya is also an English Tutor and local Library staff member. Her biggest takeaways from Young Leaders are mastering the art of public speaking and orchestrating impactful projects. Danya encourages everyone to keep working on their leadership skills because no leader is perfect! The best thing you can do is step out of your comfort zone and practice.
Duc-Tri, 2020 Alumni, Biomedical Science Student
Duc-Tri is a third year Bachelor of Biomedical Science student at Monash University. In his free time, he enjoys photography and videography. He describes the Young Leaders Program as being the catalyst for his professional development and a foundation of experience and knowledge which he still uses in his work and extracurricular activities. His advice for young people is to take up different opportunities and gain as much experience as possible.
Aled, 2022 Alumni, Youth Worker
Aled is a young person who has worked in the youth space for a few years. He credits Young Leaders as a program which helped expand and strengthen his networking skills and assisted him during his first council youth worker role, as well as throughout his Bachelor of Youth Work and Youth Studies Degree. He encourage young people use obstacles as an opportunity for growth and reflection.
KC, 2019 Alumni, Clothing Brand and Security Guard Business Director
KC is a currently an owner of two small businesses: a clothing brand and a security guard service provider for events, residential buildings, and bars. He reflects that without the young leaders program and the leaders and mentors he met from it, he wouldn’t be in the position he is in today. The various skills he learnt including public speaking, networking, team building, and critical thinking have made him a leader. His advice to young people is to try new things, learn new skills, make friends, and be confident.
Tara, 2009 Alumni, Legal Compliance Manager
Tara-Rose lives in London and is a lawyer, working as a Legal Compliance Manager. She reflects that the Young Leaders program motivated her to remain focused on her academic goals and that the speakers who shared their career journeys made things seem attainable, especially as an immigrant from a non-English speaking background. Her advice to young people is to be resilient and adaptable. She emphasises the importance of having a clear vision of what you want out of life and being determined to make it happen regardless of what life throws at you.
Andrea, 2010 Alumni, Disability Support Worker
Andrea works as a Disability Support Worker and Independent Contractor in a few different fields. For Andrea, the Young Leaders program showcased the importance of community programming and how accessibility to information can significantly change someone’s life professionally or personally. Her advice to young people is uplifting, 'Community is the most undervalued resource in our everyday lives, take advantage of the ways it helps you access the world around you - invest in community in whatever way that takes shape in your life.'
Adam, 2019 Alumni, Video Editing Business Operator
Adam runs a video editing business and has worked with big industry names like Jack Delosa, Aaron Sansoni, and Matt Srama to create their social media content. He reflects on the Young Leaders program as one which helped him learn to lead well through communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and make decisions in line with what the community needs. Adam's three pieces of advice for young people are: 1. It is key to understand yourself first, 2. Be in spaces that fosters leadership skills, and 3. Continue to learn from those around you.
Upani, 2017 Alumni, Biomedical Engineering Student
Upani is in her fourth year at Monash University, exploring a career in biomedical engineering and medical devices. She works on exciting new medical tech projects, such as the development of an artificial heart through a competition called Heart Hackathon. She is also involved in a commercialisation project aimed at reducing sudden infant death syndrome rates in Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and culturally diverse families. To other young people wanting to build their leadership skills, her advice is to take every opportunity to practice leadership and learn from the amazing people around you!
Sidra, 2020 Alumni, Business Support Officer
Sidra thrived as a Business Support Officer on a Community Revitalisation project, GameChange, at the City of Greater Dandenong. The Young Leaders program allowed Sidra to become part of a network where she expanded on teamwork abilities and improved her communication skills which have been transferrable in many of her roles. Her advice for young people is to put yourself out there and be part of various networking groups or programs like Young Leaders.
Duoth, 2021 Alumni, Library Services Officer and STANDOUT Youth Mentor
Duoth works two jobs he loves. He is a Library Service Officer at Greater Dandenong Libraries and a Mentor with Stand Out Youth. For Duoth, the Young Leaders program allowed him to network and collaborate with like-minded individuals within his community. His advice to young people is: 'The only way to achieve growth is through applying yourself. Being a leader doesn’t mean that you have every aspect of your life put together, or that you’re the best at what you do. To me, it means that no matter the obstacle or environment, that you will try your best to surpass it, whilst bringing as many people as possible up with you.'
Dinesh, 2014 Alumni, Actor and Physiotherapist
Dinesh is a physiotherapist and actor from Dandenong. He recently moved back to Melbourne from Adelaide to be closer to family and for better acting opportunities. Dinesh reflects on the Young Leaders program as one which helped him gain experience in leadership and gave him the opportunity to be surrounded by great leaders. His advice to young people is to take on any opportunities that are before you and to be okay with failing, because a growth mindset doesn't see failure as a bad thing, but a learning experience for your next success.
Khanishpyar, 2020 Alumni, Medicine Student
Khanishpyar is currently on the Gold Coast, undertaking his clinical years in Medicine. He reflects that his experience from Young Leaders has definitely played a part in contributing to where he is today, improving his leadership and interpersonal skills and giving him a platform to voice his ideas and make new connections. He encourages young people to take opportunities and be proactive in the community.
Laura, 2012 Alumni, Social Work and Social Policy PhD Student
Laura works for the state government in mental health reforms and is also undertaking a PhD in social work and social policy. After participating in Young Leaders, she felt encouraged to attend university to study social work, aiming to create positive change in the community. That decision unlocked an exciting career that has taken her across Australia, Asia, and the Pacific for work. The best advice she would pass on to young people is that leadership doesn’t just happen in appointed leadership roles - you can inspire others by standing by your principles and values, however, you must always keep learning and stay adaptable.
Abuzar, 2016 Alumni, Youth Development and Support Worker
Abuzar is in the final year of his Bachelor of International Relations at La Trobe University and works full time at the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc. His role is in Youth Development and Support for the Afghan community. Young Leaders was a life-changing platform for Abuzar. It built up on his strengths, such as adaptability and resilience, to navigate the Australian environment as a newly arrived refugee.