Our Impact
Tracking outcomes and change - one young person at a time
Measuring our impact is central to TRACTION’s work. It helps us stay accountable to young people and communities, continuously improve our programs, and demonstrate the real difference they make.
Sharing the story of our impact
Each year, we collect data and tell the story of our impact; you can view these here.
Quarterly newsletters showcase the impact of our programs and additional work that TRACTION does.
Annual reports offer an exciting reflection of our impact and wider achievements. Each year, we spotlight a key area and analyse it in-depth. Read our Annual Impact Reports here.
Evaluations by independent experts help us ensure we’re doing our best to serve young people and communities. Read the independent evaluations here.
THEORY OF CHANGE
TRACTION’s Theory of Change explains why and how our programs create meaningful outcomes for young people. It’s a shared roadmap which links the challenges of educational disengagement with the inputs, activities and supports we deliver, and the changes we expect to see over time.
Grounded in evidence and practical experience, the Theory of Change enables us to design with purpose and measure what matters. It ensures every program decision remains focused on strengthening young people’s confidence, wellbeing, learning and futures.
The problems we are seeking to influence:
283,000 young people aged between 10–14 years old experiencing educational disengagement by 2030.
3 in 5 young Australians experiencing social isolation.
2 our of 5 young people report feeling worried about school and stressed about their future
OUR SOLUTION
Engage schools to prioritise young people’s wellbeing as a condition for learning,
Advocate to champion the needs of young people,
And promote the value of high-quality mentoring and practical, hands-on learning experiences as an effective and complementary alternative for boosting engagement.
IF WE:
Safely engage young people in TRACTION’s evidence-informed, hands-on learning and mentoring programs.
THEN WE:
Young people recognise they have strengths and learn how to build their social and emotional skills.
They are more confident to speak up and seek help when needed.
They understand the benefits of learning and have better relationships with peers and adults.
They feel better mentally and physically, they have fun, laugh and feel proud of their achievements.
THEN:
Adults will notice that young people who participate In TRACTION’s programs are respectful team workers, capable problem-solvers, and communicators.
TRACTION participants can persist at tasks and seek help when needed, enabling active participation society.
AND:
Young people thriving through experiences of real-world learning, a strong sense of belonging and connection, access to confidence building opportunities, and stronger physical and mental wellbeing.
WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO:
of parents report their child’s confidence has improved
86%
of school staff observe better interpersonal skills
70%
of young people finish school or transition to employment
95%
By monitoring, evaluating and learning from our outcomes, we build evidence that strengthens partnerships, informs strategic decisions and amplifies our voice for change.
We gather feedback and data from the young people, parents and caregivers, and schools we work with. Incorporating these diverse perspectives provides a comprehensive understanding of how our programs deliver meaningful outcomes. We measure impact across wellbeing, learning engagement and confidence for high school, developmental attributes, work readiness and program satisfaction.
Overall, on completion of the program, 96% of young people agreed they experienced a sense of success and enjoyed what they were learning and doing.