For Philanthropy Week, we sat down with Kelly Commins, Branch Manager at MGA Insurance Group, to explore what happens when a business stops asking what's in it for us, and starts asking what can we do.

For Kelly, the call to action for other businesses couldn't be clearer.

“Quite simply, if you can, then you should. No child chooses their individual circumstances and if you are in a fortunate enough position to be able to help, then you should.”

Philanthropy Week is a moment to celebrate what generosity looks like in practice. Not just the writing of a cheque, but the showing up. The willingness to invest in something long term, even before the results are guaranteed.

At TRACTION, we know what that kind of partnership looks like. We see it every term through our work with Kennards Hire.

Since the start of Term 1, we’ve been delivering our programs in Toowoomba as part of our expansion under the Youth Engagement Program (YEP) grant in our new permeant home. It's early days, but we're not just visiting, we're here to stay!

When young people are given the right environment and the chance to experience real success, the outcomes stick. For Ed, one term at TRACTION changed not just his skills - but how he saw himself.

Cindy has called Toowoomba home her whole life, and that deep-rooted connection shapes everything about the way she mentors.

Through consistency, authenticity, and a genuine belief in young people, she's helping build the confidence and self-worth of the next generation, right here in her own backyard.

When Ryder walked four Queensland MPs through the Alexandra Hills workshop, he wasn't reading from a script. He was just a young person who'd found his footing - and it showed.

His tour made it all the way to Hansard.

By Dr. Annabel Prescott

I’ve been sitting with the latest Edelman Trust Barometer, and one theme keeps surfacing: insularity.

This year’s findings point to a growing reluctance to engage with difference, and a shift in trust away from institutions towards “people like me”.

We can all see the forces driving this. But as a CEO of a not for profit supporting young people, it lands heavily.

On the evening of April 15th, TRACTION joined the Toowoomba business community for Business at Dusk - and left reminded of just how much this region cares about its young people. Here's a look at the night and what it means for what we're building together.

Last week, our founder Sandy Murdoch joined leaders across philanthropy and other frontline organisations at the launch of Tanck and Perpetual Limited’s whitepaper: From Fragmentation to Influence.

The message was clear: transformation doesn't come from isolated efforts or short-term funding. It comes from trust, alignment, and long-term partnerships.

Sandy brought TRACTION's on-the-ground perspective, reinforcing that frontline organisations aren't just service providers, we're partners in reform.

Read more about Sandy's contribution and what it means for TRACTION's strategy.

If we want different outcomes for young people, we need to listen to them and take what they say seriously.

At TRACTION, we hear from young people every day. Not in theory, but in practice. Through our programs, they tell us what’s working, what matters, and what helps them move forward.

This is what they’ve been telling us.

Youth justice doesn’t start in the courtroom. It starts years earlier - when a young person stops turning up to school, feels disconnected from learning, or falls through the cracks.

TRACTION submitted to the Senate Inquiry into Australia’s Youth Justice and Incarceration System, calling for early prevention to sit at the centre of reform.

This appointment is a key step in delivering our 2026–2031 strategy. As we sharpen our focus on systems influence, this role is central to how we turn evidence into action and action into lasting change for young people.

👉 Learn more about Samantha and what this role means for TRACTION’s next chapter.

When young people disengage, it doesn’t just affect schools - it affects all of society, socially and economically. We’re tackling this crisis head-on with a bold new chapter.

High school is a turning point. It can lay the groundwork for confident, engaged young people, or it can quietly mark the start of withdrawal. Data tells us too many are struggling, and that prevention works best when it happens early. Getting the transition right is one of the smartest investments we can make for young people and our communities.

Built in Term 4: 2025

Across IGNITE and BUILD, Term 4 demonstrated what’s possible when young people are given structured opportunities to experience success, strengthen relationships and build practical skills. Feedback from young people, families and schools highlights measurable shifts in confidence, communication, participation and attendance - indicators that matter deeply at this stage of the school journey. 

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new-look website - an exciting milestone that brings together months of brand development, content strategy and design work, as we step confidently into our next chapter.

For years, one damaging myth has shaped how we talk about young people who leave school before Year 12: that they lack ambition, commitment, or the drive to succeed. It’s a myth reinforced in many staffrooms, living rooms and across Australia.

Discover more about TRACTION by watching our new video.

Coined by Junior Finau and introduced to TRACTION through Michael, Real Models gave a name to the mentoring style of our team - mentors who lead through honesty and vulnerability, not perfection. Discover the story behind Real Models.

“I didn't back myself. TRACTION helped me build confidence and think differently about my potential.”

When Sandy, TRACTION’s founder, sat down with alumni Will Johanessen, it didn’t take long for the conversation to drift back to the workshop where it all began.