Young Initiators Evaluation

Lirata partnered with Centre for Multicultural Youth to evaluate Young Initiators, an exciting initiative that engaged hundreds of young Victorians with diverse backgrounds.

Active citizenship for young Victorians

Young Initiators was a community-based project for young people to support awareness of their rights and responsibilities as active citizens. The project was run by the Centre for Multicultural Youth and funded by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Multicultural Affairs.

Young Initiators engaged and supported over 300 young Victorians across the state, with a wide range of different backgrounds and lived experiences. The project explored values-based leadership using the Victorian Values Statements as a springboard for discussion. Key activities included leadership workshops, youth-led projects and a social media campaign celebrating young people and their contributions to Victoria.

Evaluation

Lirata led the evaluation, which investigated project implementation and impact. The consulting team analysed program data, observed program activities, and conducted a participant survey, focus groups and interviews. The team also supported CMY staff to build their evaluation knowledge and skills.

Results

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Young Initiators showed strong effectiveness in achieving its nine intended learning outcomes for participants. Young Initiators built young people’s awareness of values, empathy for others, understanding of active citizenship, and confidence to create change.

The evaluation found that the place-based approach was an effective engagement model. The capacity building workshops provided opportunity for two-way learning. Exploring leadership from a values-based perspective was an effective way to motivate young people as active citizens and to increase their sense of connection to community and the state of Victoria.

Young Initiators built young people’s awareness of values, empathy for others, understanding of active citizenship, and confidence to create change.

Further information

Download Summary Evaluation Report

For more information about the work of Centre for Multicultural Youth, visit: www.cmy.net.au.