6. Investing in Australia’s Future Leadership

Let’s talk about investing in Australia’s future leaders. When government funding and philanthropy meet aspiring young leaders and bold ideas, new opportunities are unlocked.  Aru Narayan is a super passionate and proactive young tourism professional. She was a 2022 graduate of the Launchpad program offered by Youth Tourism Network and Regeneration Projects, and is now a Team Lead at Reeho Study Tours.  Yee Zhao and Cooper Tealen are a dynamic duo with high hopes for Melbourne’s urban landscapes. They’re recipients of the City of Melbourne’s Youth Climate Action Grant, based around a very cool idea for soilless vertical gardens through their enterprise – Gnositukoi.   In a (gum)nut shell …   Issue: Finding value-aligned leadership programs & entrepreneurial seed funding is tricky.   Opportunity: Fortunately, advocacy and policy change is creating more supportive conditions.   Insights: Now, pilot programs have proven their impact for young people, we’re ready to scale.   The ‘Transforming Youth #EcoAnxiety2Action’ campaign is a collaboration between Regeneration Projects, UN Youth Australia and RMIT University. Join us on this journey!