Assistant Principal - School & Student Operations
Social Media Age Restriction Hub - eSafety Commissioner
Youth Incubator Workshop by Young Change Agents and Woodlea on 20th and 21st October
Thanks to the support of the Woodlea, 48 students from Yarrabing Secondary College were selected to receive a funded Young Change Agents Youth Incubator Workshop.
This workshop supported students in grade 8 to further their social enterprise ideas from our 1 Day Discovery program earlier in the month.
Some of the community problems identified by students included:
Lack of infrastructure and community amenities
Online scams and fake websites
Dangerous and impatient drivers near schools
Lack of extracurricular clubs and after-school activities
Exposure to inappropriate content on TikTok
Lack of support from peers to combat bullying
Limited mental-health support for teenagers
Incorrect or misleading historical information within the film industry
Lack of community initiatives and spaces for youth during wet weather
Inclusivity in sport and limited sporting venues for youth
Stress from school hours being too early and the impact on youth wellbeing
Overcrowded and unsafe school bus transport options
Students worked in teams of 4-6 over this two-day coworking-style workshop to explore how their initial ideas could be turned into real social enterprises.
On day one, students identified their 'why' to help ensure their solution was solving the initial community problem they identified. They were then introduced to the social enterprise model and social lean canvas which helped to further refine their idea. From there, they identified their customers and created a brand identity and business card for their social enterprise.
During both days, students were also supported by 7 mentors from the local community, including the local state MP Luba Grigorovitch, who shared her advice on connecting through partnerships.
On day two, students took their plans for their social enterprise and further developed their prototypes, seeking validation from their ideas to inform the process. They also started to work on creating a minimum viable product (MVP) and took part in a networking afternoon tea to practice talking about their ideas with their mentors and peers in a safe environment.
To conclude the two days, students presented a final pitch to showcase their ideas and everything they achieved over the two days!
Some of the social enterprise ideas they developed included:
Thornhill Reimagined
A community consulting service that listens to the needs of Thornhill residents and advises on sustainable business opportunities to boost local growth. Starting with a bike rental initiative to help teenagers get around and socialise, using profits to fund future community projects.
Safeguard Antivirus
An innovative anti-virus app and software that protects people from cybercrime, scams, and fake websites, promoting safe online engagement through strong security tools and digital literacy education.
D.P.P. (Drive. Park. Protect.)
DPP is focused on improving school pick-up and drop-off safety in partnership with parents, schools, and councils to design safer traffic systems (such as their drop-and-go system) and promote awareness to keep students protected.
United Together
This team plans to visit schools and communities to encourage more extracurricular clubs and youth activities. They want to help students share ideas, express their voices, and create fun, inclusive after-school programs.
VidTok
A social media platform made for young people, ensuring safe, age-appropriate content and positive engagement, that offers filters, moderation tools, and creative challenges to promote a healthy online community.
Upstanders
A youth-focused movement empowering students to stand up for others, challenge bullying, and uplift peers. They run workshops, storytelling projects, and leadership programs to create a culture of courage and kindness
Mentor & Mindfulness Care Centre (MMHCC)
A community wellbeing hub offering mentorship, counselling, and mindfulness programs for youth. They advocate for mental health awareness and provide safe spaces for support, growth, and connection.
The Time Travellers
An organisation that collaborates with film and media producers to ensure accurate and respectful portrayals of historical and cultural events. They help audiences learn real history through entertainment.
Boo Sports
An inclusive community sports club where people of all ages can socialise, stay active, and build friendships. Their idea encourages teamwork, diversity, and fun through a variety of local sports and recreation activities.
Melton Youth Corporation (Aintree Youth Centre)
A vibrant youth space designed for teens to learn entrepreneurial skills, play sports, and socialise. They aim to build confidence, creativity, and leadership while empowering young people to make a difference in their community and are working on a video to promote the idea.
ELChat
An educational app offering daily learning challenges to help users improve in areas they struggle with it acts as a virtual tutor, making learning engaging, personal, and rewarding through consistent progress.
Class Routes
A student ride-sharing app offering safe, discounted trips to and from school, the profits go back into school facilities and extracurricular activities, helping fund better student experiences and community development.
Throughout the workshop, students were developing an entrepreneurial mindset, skillset and toolset, which was celebrated in their final pitch presentation and on the certificates they received at the end of the two days. Here are some of the key skills they developed:
- Team Management
- Business Development
- Social Enterprise 101
- Branding and Marketing
- Customer Personas
- Validation and Testing
- Budgeting
- Rapid Prototyping and MVPs
- Partnerships
- Networking
- Pitching
We’d like to thank the educators at Yarrabing Secondary College for organising students to take part in this experience, and a big thank you to Woodlea's Pauline Turner for making this opportunity possible.
If you’d like to learn more about how Young Change Agents can support your school with entrepreneurial learning, please check out our other programs below:
Dina Becvinovski
Assistant Principal