Young people leading sustainable development
About Oaktree
Oaktree is a youth-led international development organisation.
At Oaktree, we believe all young people should have the opportunity to transform their local communities to build an equitable, just and sustainable world. We exist to empower young people to take their ideas for social impact and make it a reality. We ask our young people what the biggest issue in their community is to solve, we ask them what they think the solution is and we back them by supporting them to lead sustainable development projects in their communities.
Sound interesting? Check out the video below to learn more.
So far, we've empowered over
50,000 young people
12,883
young people have been empowered through our education programs
20
innovative education projects have been successfully implemented across the Asia Pacific
30
communities have benefited from Oaktree’s educational opportunities
Our Youth Run Model
Our organisation is powered entirely by people under the age of 27. Over the last 18 years, we have upskilled a generation of changemakers in Australia with the knowledge to champion sustainable development. They have led political movements, which saw the government increase our foreign aid budget. They have been upskilled in advocacy, fundraising, financial management and every other aspect of effective social change. Our Alumni have gone on to found their own companies, become ministerial advisors, or have developed into agents of change.
Alumni Testimonials
“To see young people who weren’t embarrassed that they were young, who were saying ‘we want better and we want it now’ - that sense of agency and empowerment I had never seen before - I carry that with me in all work and life now. Oaktree taught me to speak up and stand strong.”
Yasmin Poole - Current National Ambassador for Plan International
"Oaktree teaches young people an important lesson: that you don’t have to wait. As young people we’re often told that we don’t have a right to contribute until we have “experience”. Oaktree reminds us that our lived experiences are just as valid, if not more so, when it comes to the issues and solutions that impact us most as young people..."
Kareem El-Ansary - Current Ministerial Advisor
“Oaktree (harshly) taught me that when one door closes, another opens. Being okay with rejection has been instrumental for the rest of my life. You just can’t give up - and that is the basis of advocacy.”
Jahin Tanvir - Current CEO of the Australian School of Entrepreneurship
