National Impact

Two decades of youth-led change, from living rooms to Parliament House.

Since 2003, Oaktree has been powered by the simple belief that young people aren’t just future leaders, they are leading change right now!

What began as a few passionate students in Melbourne has grown into a national movement where young Australians learn, lead and create impact that echoes well beyond our borders.

Growing a Generation of Changemakers

Oaktree provides young people with something rarely offered: real responsibility. From running multi-million dollar campaigns to lobbying government ministers, our volunteers step into roles that challenge, upskill and empower them to lead.

"That was Oaktree for me: it gave me the space to dream big and get a bunch of wins under my belt early on. These wins gave me an unreasonable level of confidence and resilience that have led me to where I am today."
Nick Allardice

For many of our volunteers, Oaktree becomes a launchpad. They walk away not just with skills, but with confidence, purpose and community.

From volunteering at 19 to advising federal ministers at 29, or from running grassroots campaigns to representing Australia at the UN—our alumni show what’s possible when young people are backed from the beginning.

As Kareem El-Ansary, former National Director and now advisor to the Federal Youth Minister, puts it:

“Oaktree provides opportunities for young people to be leaders in their own right. That is both rare and powerful.”

Creating Pathways to Purposeful Careers

Leading Bold Ideas

In 2010, a handful of young Oaktree volunteers launched a bold idea: what if Australians lived on the equivalent of the extreme poverty line for five days to raise awareness and funds?

Live Below the Line (LBL) became a national movement. Within two years, it raised over $1 million. It gave thousands of participants an experience of empathy, and gave young volunteers the tools to build a high-impact, nationwide campaign from scratch.

As Nick Allardice, campaign co-founder, says:

“This campaign was only really successful because we didn’t know any better... Oaktree gives young people the space and support to swing for the fences, so we did.”

Shaping the Development Sector from the Inside Out

Oaktree doesn’t just help young Australians understand international development, we’ve helped shape the sector. We’ve published research, influenced policy, and built partnerships that reimagine what ethical, youth-led global solidarity can look like.

We’ve also challenged the way development is done by launching the Oaktree Youth Solidarity Fund, which shifts power and resources directly to unregistered, youth-led groups in the Asia-Pacific.

As Hugh Evans, our co-founder and now CEO of Global Citizen, said:

“There’s no such thing as a ‘development expert’. Everyone is learning. Oaktree has the licence to show ‘adults’ how it needs to be done – with the energy only young people can bring.”