The King’s Trust Australia designed two bespoke in-person AchieveFest workshops to provide unique career information to 93 young people from the Australian Ismaili community in Sydney and Melbourne.

The workshops were delivered by The King’s Trust Australia in collaboration with the Aga Khan Education Board. Using the Achieve Framework, the sessions created a supportive and inclusive space for participants to explore identity, purpose, career pathways and future possibilities.Packed with honest conversations, inspiring panel discussions featuring nonlinear career journeys, and guided reflection activities, facilitators encouraged young people to think deeply about what it means to build a life aligned with their values and the impact they want to make.

“The best thing about the session was how everyone was able to communicate and share their ideas, what they’re passionate about, and what they would like to do in the future,” said one participant.

The impact was reflected clearly in participant feedback.

•  In Sydney, 91% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they felt more confident making career decisions after completing Achieve, while 72% agreed or strongly agreed that they felt more accepted for who they are.

• In Melbourne, 74% agreed or strongly agreed that Achieve helped them feel better prepared for the future, and 87% agreed or strongly agreed that they felt more confident in themselves, their abilities and their future after completing the programme.

The King’s Trust Australia’s Achieve Programme helps young people develop the confidence, skills and resilience needed to navigate education, work and life. Through a series of interactive workshops delivered to Harding Miller Education Foundation scholars, the programme empowered girls from underserved backgrounds to broaden their horizons, strengthen their self-belief and explore future opportunities.

Expanding Horizons 

A consistent theme across all year levels was the programme’s ability to provide students with the tools to imagine new possibilities.

“This workshop was extremely informative and opened my mind to so many new pathways,” said a Year 9 scholar. “I was able to learn more about myself and others and what motivates me to do what I do.”

Building Confidence and Essential Skills

Participants reported developing practical skills including communication, teamwork, self-management and leadership.

“It was super helpful in terms of helping us learn how to self-manage, work in a team, speak up in a large group, and also learn about what we’re good at and what we can work on to improve ourselves,” a Year 10 scholar shared.

The Power of Sharing Stories

Hearing from peers, alumni, and programme facilitators was one of the most impactful elements of the programme. Students valued learning from others’ experiences in a way that fostered collaboration over competition, while gaining reassurance about their own journeys.

“It was very educational and I gained a whole new insight on how to be successful. I also feel empowered about who I am rather than feeling anxious or worried after comparing myself to successful people.”

Impact

Through the Achieve Programme, Harding Miller scholars gained:

• Greater confidence and self-belief
• Increased awareness of future education and career pathways
• Stronger communication, teamwork and leadership skills
• Exposure to diverse role models and lived experiences
• A more positive and realistic understanding of success

For many participants, the programme delivered an empowering message that future success is not about having all the answers today, but about having the confidence and skills to take the next step.

Moorambilla Voices supports young people across regional New South Wales to grow through music and performance. Together, we identified an opportunity to complement this artistic development with practical leadership, self-awareness and future-readiness skills.

We are embedding the Achieve Framework into MAXed UP and MAXed OUT, Moorambilla Voices’ secondary-school programmes, helping participants recognise the capabilities they are building and connect them with future career pathways. We also supported a co-design workshop for the new Moorambilla Voices Alumni Programme and delivered foundational mentorship training for alumni aged 18–35.

The partnership is creating a connected pathway from student participation to alumni leadership: young artists can articulate their strengths, alumni can shape meaningful ways to give back, and Moorambilla Voices can continue offering opportunities for regional students to thrive artistically.

“The King’s Trust helped me feel confident in myself to overcome challenges. They are really good at what they do.”
— Youth Leadership Project participant, 14 years old

The King’s Trust Australia and the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation help young people recognise their strengths, build confidence and explore what comes next.

The King’s Trust Australia (KTA) is working with the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (WBCF) to embed the Achieve framework within youth programmes, including the Youth Leadership Project and Nallei Jerring First Nations youth programme. The partnership combines WBCF’s trusted community relationships with KTA’s strengths-based approach to personal development, giving young people practical opportunities to understand themselves, collaborate with others and connect their interests to future pathways.

“King’s Trust taught us skills to improve our teambuilding, including social interactions, using visual technologies as a social skill… they were really good at teaching us to use our skills wisely.”
— Youth Leadership Project participant, 14 years old

Feedback from participants and WBCF staff highlights several recurring themes in how young people engaged with the activities:

• Recognising personal strengths and interests: reflecting on passions, values and aspirations.
• Growing confidence: building self-belief and feeling better equipped to approach challenges.
• Working with others: practising communication, teamwork and constructive social interaction.
• Considering future possibilities: connecting interests and capabilities with potential education, career and community opportunities.

Facilitated activities translated the framework into practical reflection and discussion. Young people connected their passions with potential careers, practised teamwork and social interaction, and considered how visual technologies can support communication. WBCF also observed participation from students who do not always engage in conventional classroom settings—an encouraging sign that the approach can create accessible entry points for different learners.

“You could really see the lightbulb moments happening throughout the session. The ‘Who I Am’ activity helped our young people connect their passions with future career opportunities in a way that felt real and achievable. Several teachers commented that students who are usually disengaged were opening up and getting involved, which is a credit to the incredible facilitation by Mercedes and Douglas.”
— Jordan, WBCF First Nations Youth Coordinator

KTA and WBCF will continue to reflect on learnings from the partnership and identify appropriate opportunities to support young people’s confidence, capability development and future pathways.