Hosts: Skye Hughes, Amanda Marshall, and Will Masara

Guest: Andy Skidmore – CEO, Youth Impact Foundation

This week, the Podclass team is joined by long-time friend and sector leader, Andy Skidmore, to unpack the story, mission, and impact of the Youth Impact Foundation. From reducing duplication across the charity sector to creating sustainable programs that last beyond their founders, Andy shares how the foundation is reshaping the way we collaborate for young people.

Why the Foundation Exists

Andy takes us back to 2021, when a roundtable of ten youth charities spent a year exploring how to work better together. The outcome? A new model launched in 2022 to address fragmentation, burnout, and resource duplication in the youth sector.

“If we could reduce the duplication that existed between youth charities, we could amplify the impact.” – Andy Skidmore

The Model in Action

The Youth Impact Foundation now houses ten formerly independent youth brands, including Youth Leadership Academy Australia (YLAA) and Youth Engagement Project (YEP). Each keeps its identity, audience, and delivery style – but benefits from shared systems, succession planning, and sustainable back-end support.

Over 160,000 young people reached in 2024

More than 1,000 schools engaged

Nearly 1,000 programs delivered

Breaking Down Barriers to Collaboration

From ego to trust, the team tackles why collaboration can be hard in the charity space – and how the Foundation builds it through relationships, due diligence, and a clear values alignment. The conversation challenges the culture of “gatekeeping” in the youth sector, encouraging open sharing of knowledge and resources for the greater good.

“Trust moves at the speed of relationships.” – Andy Skidmore

Practical Strategies for Educators and Leaders

Look beyond competition – Share resources and ideas with other classrooms or programs to maximise student benefit.

Plan for succession – Build systems so programs continue even if key leaders move on.

Preserve brand trust – Keep consistency in your school programs to build credibility with students.

Embrace diverse approaches – Different programs reach different students; variety strengthens impact.

Be curious, not judgmental – Stay open to new models and methods in education and youth work.

Conclusion

The Youth Impact Foundation is proving that collaboration over competition can transform the youth sector. By uniting diverse programs under one sustainable framework, it’s ensuring that high-quality, evidence-based initiatives reach more young people – for generations to come.

Links:

Podclass: www.ylaaus.com/podclass

Youth Impact Foundation: https://www.youthimpactfoundation.org.au

Youth Engagement Project (YEP): https://youthengagementproject.com/

YLAA: www.ylaaus.com