Joining forces to drive system change for young people

Last week, our founder Sandy Murdoch joined a national panel in Brisbane, sharing space with philanthropic, government and civil society leaders to tackle a critical question: how do we move from service delivery to true social change?

The discussion focused on a new whitepaper by Tanck and Perpetual Limited, From Fragmentation to Influence: Rebuilding Australia’s Democratic Resilience. 

Sandy’s contribution grounded the research in real-world practice, reinforcing that lasting change doesn’t come from isolated efforts or short-term funding, but from trust, alignment and long-term partnerships.

“Transformation happens through partnerships built on trust,” said Sandy. “If we want better outcomes for young people, we need to invest in relationships and work collaboratively… including service providers delivering on the ground backed through evidence-informed policy endorsed through Parliament.”

Frontline organisations as partners in change

One of the strongest messages of the day was the crucial role of frontline organisations like TRACTION, in shaping reform. 

TRACTION operates across education, health and youth justice, turning lived experience into meaningful, measurable outcomes - be it better school engagement or reduced contact with the justice system.

Our BUILD program alone shows clear value: every $1 invested returns $3.39 in social benefits, proving that early intervention pays off both socially and economically.

“Those of us working directly with young people see firsthand what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to shift at the system level,”  said Sandy. 

“The core of this is simple - young people don’t disengage because they don’t care, they disengage because the system hasn’t given them a reason to stay.”

Sandy emphasised that ‘patchwork’, reactive efforts won’t solve these issues. “Real change happens when organisations work closely together, and partner with government and philanthropists.”

Sandy also emphasised that philanthropy matters now, more than ever.

“Government offers scale - philanthropy offers speed and flexibility. The most impact comes when these roles align around what works,”  Sandy said.

The biggest need? Moving from short-term, fragmented funding to long-term, trust-based and values-aligned partnerships that allow organisations to build evidence, stay committed and partner with government to scale what works.

Stepping up beyond program delivery

Over the last decade, TRACTION has helped young people facing disengagement find confidence and connection through hands-on learning and mentoring.

But we realise that no single program can solve complex social issues alone. That’s why being part of national conversations like this is vital.

Our strategy is in motion. We’re stepping beyond delivering programs to sharing insights, bringing lived experience into policy conversations, and pushing for system-level change.

As Sandy reinforced, “We’re not here just to run impactful programs on the ground - we’re here to make sure fewer young people need them in the first place.”