YOUTHNOW CASE STUDY
Turning doubt
into potential.
Turning doubt
into potential.
Helping YouthNow secure a stronger, more confident future for young people across Melbourne's west.
Embedded Files
into potential.
YOUTHNOW
At a glance.
At a glance.
• Organisation - YouthNow• Sector - Youth Services• Focus - Strategy, governance and organisational sustainability• Partnership model - Pro bono strategic advisory
THE OPPORTUNITY
Exploring the best outcomes.
Exploring the best outcomes.
For more than 20 years, YouthNow has supported young people across Melbourne's west through education, training and employment programs. Deeply embedded in the local community, the organisation had built trusted relationships and delivered innovative, place-based services that helped young people improve their learning and employment outcomes.
Following a significant reduction in Federal funding, the Board recognised the organisation faced an important crossroads. Rather than allowing financial uncertainty to erode the organisation over time, they chose to proactively explore every option to ensure the best possible outcome for the young people and communities they served.
HOW WE PARTNERED
Helping YouthNow charting it's
next chapter.
Helping YouthNow charting it's
next chapter.
Working alongside the Board and CEO, SIPA Partners undertook a strategic review of the organisation. Together we:
• Built a shared understanding of YouthNow's financial position, operating environment and future challenges.
• Facilitated a strategic planning workshop exploring the organisation's strengths, opportunities, risks and long-term options.
• Developed an independent position paper outlining practical recommendations for the Board.
• Recommended dedicated project leadership to explore the preferred strategic pathways.
• Continued to provide strategic advice, governance support and practical guidance over the following two and a half years as the organisation navigated its next chapter.
Throughout the engagement, our role was not to prescribe an outcome, but to help the Board make confident, well-informed decisions that remained focused on YouthNow's purpose.
• Built a shared understanding of YouthNow's financial position, operating environment and future challenges.
• Facilitated a strategic planning workshop exploring the organisation's strengths, opportunities, risks and long-term options.
• Developed an independent position paper outlining practical recommendations for the Board.
• Recommended dedicated project leadership to explore the preferred strategic pathways.
• Continued to provide strategic advice, governance support and practical guidance over the following two and a half years as the organisation navigated its next chapter.
Throughout the engagement, our role was not to prescribe an outcome, but to help the Board make confident, well-informed decisions that remained focused on YouthNow's purpose.
POSITIVE RESULT
The right impact.
The right impact.
The strategic review ultimately led to YouthNow's successful merger with WestJustice in 2025.
The outcome preserved critical services for young people while creating a stronger, more sustainable organisation with greater capability to support the community.
Outcomes included:
• A successful strategic merger with WestJustice
• Continued operation of YouthNow service site in Melbourne's west
• Retention of trusted staff and continuity of services for young people
• Expanded access to integrated legal, education and support services
• Increased long-term sustainability and advocacy capability
REFLECTIONS
We were so incredibly fortunate to have the ongoing guidance, strategic clarity and support from SIPA throughout our change journey. They were instrumental in achieving this incredible outcome for young people in Melbourne’s west and we can’t thank them enough.
We were so incredibly fortunate to have the ongoing guidance, strategic clarity and support from SIPA throughout our change journey. They were instrumental in achieving this incredible outcome for young people in Melbourne’s west and we can’t thank them enough.
Stephen Torsi
Chairperson, YouthNow
Today, the YouthNow legacy continues through WestJustice, ensuring young people across Melbourne's west have access to an even broader range of services and support.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of lands on which we work and live. We recognise the continuous living culture of First Nations peoples and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all First Nations peoples and their communities.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of lands on which we work and live. We recognise the continuous living culture of First Nations peoples and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all First Nations peoples and their communities.
Social Venture Partners Melbourne Ltd. trading as Social Impact Partners Australia.SIPA est. Melbourne 2013. Website by APDi BRANDING + CREATIVE AGENCY / Getting Traction
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