Our Purpose
Our Spark
We believe everyone deserves the chance to build their own future.
Mission
To empower young people to build their own positive futures.
Vision
To build a sustainable, for-purpose organisation that engages young people through mentoring and hands-on learning.
Our Approach
TRACTION empowers young people through mentoring and hands-on learning designed to build confidence and skills.
We partner with referral agencies, such as schools and other government agencies, to reach young people who are facing challenges and need support.
TRACTION engages young people, typically aged 12-15 in innovative, early intervention and prevention programs in a workshop environment, 'on the tools'.
We teach respectful behaviour, responsibility, teamwork and a new way of learning. Our participants complete their own projects and experience success. We watch them develop confidence, connections, self-esteem, career aspirations and hope for their future.
Integral to the TRACTION approach is our ability to work in partnership with business, community organisations, philanthropic agencies and government service providers to provide pathways for young people.
Download the TRACTION Practice Framework
Our Values
Our values underpin all that we do.
Courage: We try new things and challenge established ways when improvement is believed possible.
Initiative: We believe in ourselves and in the ability of others. We see possibilities and take positive action.
Respect: We listen to and seek to understand all perspectives. We believe in acceptance, and honour diversity.
Connection: We believe in the power of positive connection and belonging in improving peoples’ lives. We are empathetic, genuine and trustworthy in our relationships.
Message from the Founder
TRACTION's mission is to spark young people's potential. Our team is committed to supporting the wellbeing and engagement of young people in our community.
We understand that without early intervention and access to positive role models, many young people are at risk of disengaging, experiencing isolation and potentially falling into predictable negative trajectories.
We believe that all young people deserve the opportunity to discover and develop their strengths. We also know that everybody learns differently, and some people don’t realise their potential in a classroom. That’s why TRACTION takes a different approach.
TRACTION's innovative prevention and early intervention programs engage and support young people, typically aged aged 12-15, who find the mainstream classroom a challenge, need some extra help to regulate their behaviour, or develop their confidence, resilience and strengths.
We get young people 'on the tools', in a workshop environment, working shoulder-to-shoulder with our team of trained mentors to experience a sense of success whilst completing hands-on projects, like building their own bike to keep.
TRACTION programs have reached more than 2,000 young people since 2015 and helped young people achieve powerful outcomes including increased confidence and resilience, hope for the future and increased engagement with school, family and friends.
Thank you for visiting our website to find out more about our approach, our impact and how you can help the young people in your community gain TRACTION. I'm a firm believer that when people work together they can achieve extraordinary things, and I look forward to working with you to spark potential in our young people.
Heartfelt thanks,
Sandy Murdoch
Founder and CEO