A Descendant of Helen Macpherson Smith Visits On Thursday February 27th we had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Keith Smith and his wife Barbara at the Youthrive Victoria office in Creswick. Visiting from England, Keith is the great nephew of Helen Macpherson Smith. The Macpherson Smith Rural Foundation (MSRF) was established in 2008 through…
Empowering the Next Generation of Rural Leaders: January Young Rural Leaders Program On January 19th, my team of 10 dedicated alumni coaches and I had the privilege of welcoming 30 enthusiastic participants to the 2025 Young Rural Leaders Program in Anglesea. Set against the stunning coastal backdrop, the program provided a unique opportunity for young…
Youthrive Victoria at the Speaker’s Breakfast at Parliament House Youthrive Victoria at the Speaker’s Breakfast at Parliament House On November 27th, Youthrive Victoria staff, supporters, Board members, and alumni gathered at Parliament House, hosted by the Hon. Maree Edwards MP, as part of the Speaker’s Breakfast series. This initiative, created by the Speaker herself, offers…
Youthrive Victoria Attends YACVic YERP Relaunch 2024 On Wednesday, September 18, Courtney, one of our Rural Engagement Coordinators, attended YACVic’s relaunch of the Youth Engagement Resource Platform (YERP). This event, held at the Multicultural Hub in Melbourne, provided a valuable opportunity for Courtney to learn about the platform’s upgrade and share insights with the Youthrive…
Dream Seeds Update Spring 2024 At the beginning of September, our Dream Seeds team headed to Wonthaggi, conducting workshops across three schools: Wonthaggi North Primary School, Powlett River Primary School, and Wonthaggi Primary School. Four workshops were delivered to a total of 103 students, engaging them in sessions designed to inspire aspiration, build confidence and…
Alumni Update Spring 2024 On Monday, September 16th, the Youthrive Victoria Alumni launched its inaugural Alumni-focused newsletter, reaching over 600 alumni members. This quarterly publication will showcase upcoming events and opportunities, share nostalgic photos and stories from the archives, and feature contributions from our talented alumni. If you’d like to contribute, we’d love to hear…
Celebrating Impact, Empowering Rural Futures – A Special Evening with Youthrive Victoria On August 1st, Youthrive Victoria hosted the “Celebrating Impact, Empowering Rural Futures” supporter event at the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust offices in Melbourne. The evening brought together donors, partners, alumni and supporters, all of whom have played a crucial role in helping to…
Strong Support for 2025 Scholarships Due to significant financial support from existing and new donors, the outlook for scholarships to be granted in 2025 is very positive. We are confident, subject to the level of suitable applicants, that we will be able to match or even exceed the number of 2024 scholars, 22 Rural Chances…
Exciting News: Adoption of Our New Strategic Plan We are thrilled to announce that after consultations with the Youthrive Victoria Alumni Committee, our dedicated staff team, and Directors, the Board has adopted an updated Strategic Plan, Business Plan, and Communications Plan for 2024-2026. Our new strategic direction includes refreshed strategies, along with a reaffirmation and…
In 2024, Youthrive Victoria trialled a new style of capacity building program, called the “Youthrive Victoria Rural Summit.” It was based on our old Leadership Camp format but designed to let older alumni come back, engage with us, and continue their personal growth. The response was great, with several experienced alumni joining as coaches and…