National Youth Engagement Toolkit

This national toolkit, developed by Future Minds Network and commissioned by Social Enterprise Australia as part of the Australian Government's Social Enterprise Development Initiative, maps how young people move through social enterprise organisations. It's built from a year-long Community of Practice involving more than thirty youth and social enterprise organisations across Australia.

The toolkit breaks this journey into six stages: awareness, attraction, recruitment, onboarding, engagement and retention, covering everything from how young people first discover an opportunity through to staying, leading and moving on well. For each stage, it sets out common challenges, guiding insights, practical strategies, a real-world case study and a self-assessment checklist.

It's a practical resource for leaders and staff at social enterprises and youth-focused organisations wanting to improve how they attract, recruit and retain young people, as well as funders and policymakers interested in youth-centred practice.