Take a deep dive into our annual and evaluation report for 2021. You can see the impact our mentoring programs made; find out about partners, schools, mentors and people that made it all possible and read all about the insights and findings from our rigorous evaluation.
Annual Report 2024 Mentoring with impact
raise.org.au
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
2
Contents Mentee voices
4 6 8
Letter from the Chair and CEO
Thank you to our partners About Raise Foundation
10
Why we focus on young people?
11
A solution built on strengths
12 13 14 16
Our values in action Leading the way
Celebrating our program achievements
School partner feedback
20
Mentee journey outcomes with Raise
21
How our program works Amplifying young voices
22 24 26 28 30 32 33 34 35
A committed and purpose-driven team
Mentor training
Fundraising and partnerships
Summary KPI results
Strategic impact projects
Strategic Impact Plan Summary
Financial accounts
Raise acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as traditional custodians of the lands and waterways on which our programs are delivered. We pay our respects to elders past, present and acknowledge the ongoing contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in mentoring and nurturing our young people. Raise acknowledges and honours the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We pledge to create and maintain an environment that celebrates diversity and equality and is inclusive for all.
Disclaimer: Some mentee and match photos featured throughout this document are real, and names have been changed for privacy reasons. The quotes and names used on the images are not related to the person(s) pictured. We would acknowledge and thank St Augustines for their generosity in providing us a space for our annual photo shoot and to the talented individuals who made it a success.
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
3
I went to Raise a connection made.
A new confidence in me was laid. Every week we talked and shared – so special knowing someone cared. Each week we had a special treat, a new friend and mentor to meet. Time in the sun working through the book, hiding away in a sunny nook.
This opportunity so special for me, my future is bright I now can see. – 2024 Raise Reimagined creative writing entry
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
4
Mentee voices
“Every week I really looked forward to seeing my mentor and I made sure I was on time cause I always had so much to tell her. I knew she always supported and understood me and just being able to talk to someone without feeling judgement and seeing it from someone older then me perspective. I don’t open up to anyone but I really felt safe to do so.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
“I personally love the program. I think the opportunity to learn from an older figure is so helpful as we gain so much more knowledge and insight from their past experiences and the advice they give us from their own life is so so helpful. My mentor in particular is a very wise person and I think we share the same ideologies and morals and being able to talk about issues, whether they’re something small like assessments or our future, with someone like him is very inspiring and I am very grateful for everything I’ve learnt. It’s also just generally a really fun program, I enjoyed coming in and just having a nice chat or playing a fun icebreaker with the other mentors and my peers.” - 2024 Raise Mentee
The power of showing up | raise.org.au
5
– 2024 Winning Raise Reimagined entry
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
6
Raise turned 16 this year and, like any typical teenager, we are experiencing thrilling and confusing things in equal measure. With one foot in childhood and one foot in adulthood, adolescence isn’t easy. Luckily, we’re in the business of building resilience and hope for the future. Thanks to our strong formative years at Raise, we know who we are and where we’re going. We’re just working out how to get there. When we started in 2008, we supported 58 young people across 3 school programs. In 2024 alone, we supported 2,546 young people in 189 programs across 173 schools and communities in 7 states and territories. It’s important to pause and reflect on just how far our reach and impact have grown. Within those programs, we achieved statistically significant impact in all four key outcome areas this year: asking for help, resilience, school engagement, and hope for the future. We’re thrilled to walk alongside so many young people to support them during this tumultuous stage of life. One of our most thrilling milestones was achieving our long-term ambition of conducting an independent evaluation study, made possible through the support of the Australian Government Department of Health, University of Melbourne, and the Social Outcomes Lab. Thirteen schools participated in the study: one cohort received a Raise mentor, while a comparable control group did not. Studies like this are rare in our industry, but it scientifically proved what we’ve always known – Raise mentoring works. Having a Raise mentor makes a positive difference in a young person’s life. As part of this evaluation, the Social Outcomes Lab also conducted a social return on investment (SROI) study. The results showed that for every $1 invested in Raise, there is $4.37 of avoided costs to the health, welfare and tax systems. Another thrilling achievement. Letter from the Chair and CEO
Now, like many teenagers, we’re grappling with how to grow up or, in our case, scale our service to support more young people. Some evolving parts of the organisation are easy to scale, such as school partnerships, evidence-based curriculum, and evaluation processes. Even finding enough degree- qualified counsellors and psychologists has been relatively easy, despite the sector shortages, because Raise is officially a Great Place to Work (outlined later in the report). Sourcing the funding we need to meet our scale vision, however, hasn’t been easy. Each year, we consistently generate more income than the last, but it falls short of what’s needed to achieve the growth detailed in our Strategic Impact Plan. This year, our extraordinary team raised more than ever before from corporate, government, philanthropy, community, schools, and social enterprise initiatives. We also kept our costs under control, an excellent result by our Executive Leadership Team. However, we are still identifying ways to generate more funding to fuel the scale of our impact. Our challenge lies in how to grow from a medium charity that makes a big impact into a sustainable, large charity making a huge impact. To be able to say yes to every young person in Australia who needs a Raise mentor right now, we need to almost double our income and volunteer mentors. Raise’s vision is to support over 5,000 young people in 2027. To do this, we’ve been hitting the ‘corporate gym’ to build our ‘execution muscle’. With help from our Patron, Advisors and Board Directors we have developed a detailed plan to achieve our ambition. Pivotal to the strategy is our exciting new initiative, called Raise Digital, an online youth mentoring option for young people to access their own trained and trusted Raise mentor. The strategy also includes appointing a Chief Operations Officer in 2025 to help us execute our plans and confidently grow into the organisation we know we can become. As always, we’re learning from our mentees. This year, that meant learning to ask for help from those around us – including our talented and highly skilled partners, Directors, and Advisory Councils. After all, learning new skills by connecting with mentors is the Raise way.
The power of showing up | raise.org.au Youth mentoring experts
7
We’re also learning to be resilient in the face of inevitable challenges. Each year, we grow a little more. Sometimes it’s two steps forward, one step back – but like our mentees, we’ve learned how to bounce back, even when things don’t go to plan. Just like our alumni, we hold onto hope for our future. What we’ve always known in our hearts has now been proven by scientific evidence – Raise mentoring works. It creates a real and measurable impact
Thank you for the vital role you play in the Raise Village. We can’t keep making this impact without you. Our country needs more connection – and we know our program delivers that, and so much more. With your continued support, we can expand our reach even further and deepen impact even more. Your contribution – past, present, and future – is invaluable and it is genuinely appreciated. Please keep supporting us in all the ways you already do, and more if you can. Something as simple as connecting us with one more person like you will make all the difference. Together, we can guide Raise out of adolescence and into a strong, resilient and hopeful maturity, and connect communities right across Australia with the power of youth mentoring.
for vulnerable young people. And that makes every challenge worth it.
Vicki Condon Founder and CEO
Leon Condon Chairman
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
8
Thank you to our partners
First and foremost, our work would not be possible without our valued supporters. You make a world of difference, and you mean the world to us.
Transformational and Principal Partners
Philanthropists Boyer Family
Crookes Family Foundation
Graf Family
Farrell Family Foundation
Moller Family Foundation Harlyn Foundation Mel and Simon Wright Szangolies Family Chris Bond Scott Worthington
Bishop Family Halstead Family Todd Family Foundation Gazal Family Shemara Wikramanayake and Ed Gilmartin Valerie Stuart Su and Morrice Cordiner Williams Family Chris Vaughan Solsky Family David and Julie Knowles
David and Juliet Walker Justin Liberman Andy and Rosie Wade George Family Stuart and Emma Fox Alex Small
Cedric Fuchs OAM Levins Family Foundation Peter and Elizabeth Moore Foundation Carnegie Family Jun Bei Liu Michael Thorns
APS Children’s Education Fund
Garry Browne AM Eckowitz Family Whyte Family John Lydon and Caroline Beecham
Placks Family Maister Family Foundation
John and Nicky Caliguri David Thodey Levin Family MacKenzie Wood Family
Nunn Family Barter Family
Ripples members Su Cordiner Lianne Graf Electra Wiggs
Karen Cooper Nicole Graf
Cathy Sertori Rachael McLennan
Jenny Pridham Sally McLennan
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
9
Major Partners
The Fred P Archer Charitable Trust
Partners
The Flora & Frank Leith Charitable Trust
Trusts and Foundations
Mary Alice Foundation
In Kind Partners
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
10
About Raise Foundation Young people across Australia are experiencing increased challenges that impact their wellbeing, and yet so many don’t have someone they can go to for support. We are amid a youth mental health crisis in our country. Purpose Raise significantly improves youth wellbeing
by connecting trained and trusted mentors with every young person in Australia who needs one. Young people can survive adolescence, believe in themselves and others, and are equipped with tools for life.
Mission Vision
Impact
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
11
Why we focus on young people?
Young people are the least likely group to ask for professional help, 1 despite the evident need.
3 in 10 young people would find it hard to turn to friends and family if they needed help 2
1 in 5 young people feel lonely all or most of the time 3
1 in 5 young people feel negative or very negative about the future 4
1 in 10 young people are disengaged from education and work 6
1 in 4 young people will experience bullying at school 7
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for young people 5
Top three challenges for young people are school and study, personal relationships, and mental health 8
1 in 5 young people are experiencing high psychological distress 10
Half of all lifetime mental illnesses emerge by age 14 9
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
12
A solution built on strengths
We put young
We are youth mentoring experts As an early intervention and prevention solution, we provide industry- leading mentor training to deliver best-practice programs that meet or exceed industry benchmarks. We find better ways Collaborating and developing new approaches, exciting initiatives, and innovative ways to efficiently provide a mentor for every young person who needs one.
We are trusted, safe and reliable Providing a safe space, supervised by a degree-qualified professional, for young people to connect with trusted, independent adults who show up every week, just for them.
We deliver programs that work Rigorously monitoring and evaluating our programs, we prove and improve our significant impact in young people’s ability to seek help, be resilient, engage with school, and build hope for the future.
people first By actively listening and understanding, we support and empower young people to navigate challenges with resilience, both now and in the future.
We bring everyone together
We are people people Priding ourselves on listening, caring and working openly with everyone, we proactively build strong relationships and successful partnerships.
Forging connections with schools, donors, business, and government to foster thriving communities by equipping everyone with essential youth mentoring skills.
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
13
Our values in action
Show heart – we are kind, passionate, sincere, empathetic
Give respect – we believe in acceptance, equity, inclusivity
Be courageous – we are imaginative, driven, progressive, confident
Practise integrity – we operate with authenticity, accountability, transparency
Deliver excellence – we are evidence-based, responsive, consistent, experts in our industry
Bring vitality – we are positive, fun, energetic, inspiring
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
14
Leading the way
Since we started
10,007 mentors trained since we started
Continued collaboration with “Together for Youth” collective in 8 schools
16,244 young people mentored
100+ passionate and professional team members
Connecting trusted mentors in 2024
1,116 new mentors, defying the decline in volunteering across Australia
398 university students – who are the workforce of the future
955 experienced Raise mentors volunteered with us again
2,071 Raise mentors volunteered in total
“It has been very good and I love how the mentors put so much effort into the students that are in the program and I’m very thankful for all the
mentors and the PC.” – 2024 Raise Mentee
15
Creating an impact • A chieved statistically significant outcomes in all four key outcome areas.
Taking our organisation to the next level • University of Melbourne and the Social Outcomes Lab, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, independently evaluated Raise in 2024 finding strong outcomes with a social return of $4.37 for every $1 invested. • Improved mentee safety with enhanced reporting policies, mentor/staff screening tools, and updates to our Youth Safety Framework. • Strengthened the youth voice by holding our second Youth Summit with 35 mentees and staff from 6 different schools. • Used varied start cycles to regularly test program delivery and assess the feasibility of an “always on” program model. • Launched Raise Learning, a public-facing, industry- certified mentor training program that certifies and equips mentors with skills to actively listen and connect with young people. • Leading the mentoring standards revision, in collaboration with 12 other youth organisations, for the 4th edition of the Australian Youth Mentoring Benchmarks for a mid 2025 launch. • Piloted Raise Digital, our groundbreaking online youth mentoring program that provides flexible, one-to-one online sessions – helping us reach every young person who needs a mentor, regardless of their location.
Asking for help
Hope for the future
School belonging
Resilience
• R eleased internal Evaluation Report – click here to read • M entors reported applying new skills beyond their mentees, impacting at least one additional young person and adult, creating a significant ripple effect.
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
16
Celebrating our program achievements Our impact is worth celebrating. Here’s a snapshot of our program delivery numbers in 2024. Summary highlights for the year
Raise supported 2,546 young people
Programs delivered
QLD 243 ACT 34
189 programs were delivered in 173 schools across 7 states and territories
SA 155
WA 119
NSW 1,071
VIC 425
Number of mentees commenced
TAS 60
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
17
87%
90%
86%
Retention rate for the 20 week program
Retention rate for the 10 week program
Retention rate for all programs
“The program gave me a reason to go to school and talk with my mentor, it has significantly improved my happiness for being at school and helped me with issues I was having outside of school.” - 2024 Raise mentee
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
18
Celebrating our program achievements
Program and match summary 2024
Number of mentees graduated
Number of programs
Number of schools
Number of mentees commenced
Rentention rate %
2024
BAU/online (20 weeks) ACT
55.9
3
3
34
19
NSW
87
77 33
77 33
1071 425
932 372
VIC TAS QLD
87.5 88.3 83.1 86.5 89.1 86.3 89.8 86.8
6
6
60
53
18 10 10
18 10 10
243 155
202 134 106
SA
WA
119
Sub Total
157
157
2107 384 2491
1818 345 2163
Group (10 weeks)
32
16
TOTAL
189
173
Program summary delivery model 2024 2024 Programs Online Group/YIM In person
TOTAL
ACT NSW
7
0 5 2 0 0 0 0
4
3
87 37 22 18
10
72 31 18 10 10
VIC QLD WA
4 4 8 2 0
SA
12
TAS
6
6
TOTAL
10
22
178
189
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
19
“This program has taught me how to be me.” – 2024 Raise mentee
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
20
School partner feedback
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
21
Working upstream in early intervention Mentee journey outcomes with Raise
Path with a mentor Improved Confidence Positive Relationships
Goal setting Help seeking Hope for the Future Resilience Improved school attendance
School belonging School completion Employment L ong term health and wellbeing
Path without a mentor Loneliness and poor relationships Disengagement from education Poor mental health Un or under-employment P oor overall health and social engagement
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
22
How our program works for mentors…
Screening Application review and eligibility check
Checks Submit your Working with Children and Police Checks
Application form
Online training 8 modules completed in your own time
Enrolled Qualified and mentoring location confirmed
Group training 1 day, virtual or face to face
Orientation Intro with your Program Counsellor
Evaluation Participate in research to prove and improve impact
Jitters Group workshop to meet and be matched with your mentee
Graduation Program concludes with celebration event
Pre-Mentoring
Mentoring
20 weeks • Involves 1 hour mentoring and 1 hour support session each week
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
23
…and mentees!
Match
Identity
Me
Self-talk
Help
Support
Meet!
Courage
Reflect
Friend
Connect
Flip
Risk
Stand Up
Making friends
Managing Stress
Community
Gift of goodbye!
Review
Graduate
Hope
School
Ask
Future
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
24
Young people are at the heart of everything we do at Raise – which is why we ensure young voices are at the centre of our program’s design and delivery. How we listen Raise applies a robust approach to gaining insight from young people, not just through our evaluation surveys and focus groups, but by embedding the young voice in our organisation and processes. We engage current and graduate mentees, alongside members of our Youth Advisory Council (YAC), to capture the long-term impact of our programs. With our partners, we co-host annual Youth Summits, providing a direct platform for young people to shape how we improve and expand our programs to meet evolving needs. By implementing this ‘by youth’ design mentality in our organisation, young people’s voices shape and strengthen Raise programs, enhancing their effectiveness and sustainability as we prepare to further expand our reach. The Raise Youth Advisory Council Our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is made up of highly- skilled and ambitious young people aged 18-25 who are passionate about improving the wellbeing of other young people. Amplifying young voices
The YAC meet weekly to collaborate on projects with various teams across the organisation, providing insights from the youth perspective. With the support of our Youth Engagement Facilitator, the YAC advocates for the young voice in our ever-evolving, best practice mentoring programs. Thank you for your work in the YAC in 2024 We’d like to thank our 2024 YAC members: Ava Anselme, Darcy Oates, Ashwak Ahmed, Zali Fisher, Aidan Walker, Dillon Harris, Charley Ellwood, Lilian Meyer, Bree Cavanough and Rebecca Le. You have all made invaluable contributions to Raise this year and we are grateful for your time and insights. Some of the projects our YAC contributed to this year: • Strategic projects in the digital space • Mentee and mentor recruitment • Speaking at Raise Evaluation Report launch and Independent Evaluation launch • Discussions on partnership opportunities for mentors and students • Informing and consulting Raise on issues impacting young people, such as social media and mental health.
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
25
Expanding our reach and engaging more voices 2024 Youth Summits – New South Wales and Victoria
Salesforce and Canaccord Genuity, together with our Raise team, ensured the summits were fun, engaging, supportive, and well-structured. Expanding the summits to Melbourne doubled the insights and broadened the reach of this dynamic forum. A powerful highlight was having so many Raise alumni participate in the summits. Incorporating lived experiences in our program design ensures our mentoring programs remain effective and impactful. We’re not done yet – youth engagement at Raise will continue to grow in 2025. We are expanding the YAC to include under 18s, as well as offering these invaluable summits in more states and territories. Watch this space. Working with Raise graduate mentees Another rewarding part of youth engagement is talking to graduate mentees and hearing their powerful stories about how Raise has helped them change their lives. We are grateful to Jess, a Raise graduate for sharing her story on camera. This video will help Raise share its impact to funders, mentors, parents and young people. We are also grateful to all the graduates who attended the Youth Summits for their insights and reflections on their time in the Raise program.
We were thrilled to host two Youth Summits in 2024. In Sydney, we co-hosted with Salesforce. While, for the first time ever, we co-hosted a summit in Melbourne with our principal partner Canaccord Genuity. Raise’s Youth Summits play a crucial role in capturing feedback from young people, ensuring their input is embedded in the evolving design and enhancement of our program delivery. A highlight this year was hosting 16 Raise alumni mentees who had graduated from our mentorship programs in prior years. Their experience was invaluable, giving us insight into life after graduating and the long-term impact of Raise mentoring. Across these two events, 26 young participants came together for one-day design workshops. Participants were in grades 9, 10 and 11 from two New South Wales school partners – Dulwich High School of Visual Arts, and Matraville Sports High, and three school partners in Victoria – Templestowe College, Broadford Secondary College, and Koonung Secondary College. The groups were presented with real challenges facing Raise, such as bridging the generation gap, promoting Raise, growing fundraising opportunities, and building lasting connections with Raise graduates in preparation for longitudinal research. Working together, they applied design-thinking to develop creative solutions with support from the invaluable Salesforce and Canacord Genuity mentors. In Sydney, the day ended with a ‘Shark Tank’ exercise where each group had the opportunity to pitch their ideas back to the cohort.
Below: (from left) YAC members, Zali and Ash speaking at Raise webinars; 2024 Youth Summit participation.
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
26
A committed and purpose-driven team
”We all genuinely believe in the power of our mentoring programs to make a very real difference for young people in Australia, and we are all prepared to put our heart and soul into our work to impact youth mental health and wellbeing in our country.” – feedback from our 2024 Great Place to Work® survey
Our volunteer mentors Every year, we work alongside dedicated volunteers who generously offer their time and passion as youth mentors. Our volunteer mentors are the heart of the Raise community and a driving force behind our mission. This expanding network plays a crucial role in empowering and supporting young people, helping us make a lasting impact. As we look to the future, we’re excited to grow this network even more, welcoming volunteers who share our commitment to creating positive change in the lives of young Australians. Advisory Councils with a purpose Our team is guided by the expertise of our Board of Directors, Advisory Councils and Ambassadors. We are fortunate to have the support and connections of a remarkable team of people on our Patron’s Advisory Council, chaired by David Gonski AC, Youth Advisory Council chaired by Lucy Snowball, Research Advisory Council, chaired by Professor Lucas Walsh, School Advisory Council chaired by Tamara Salamacha and Marketing Advisory Council, chaired by Emma Flowers.
In 2024, our dedicated and purpose-driven team reached new milestones, providing support to thousands of young people while also recruiting, training, and onboarding more volunteer mentors than ever before. At Raise, we take great pride in the positive work environment we’ve built and continue to foster together. We were thrilled to earn Great Place To Work® Certification in 2024, a prestigious ‘employer-of-choice’ recognition based entirely on employee feedback. This certification is the global benchmark for recognising exceptional employee experiences. View our certified company profile page . In the Great Place to Work® survey, our team members described Raise as a warm, welcoming and inclusive workplace where their work holds deep meaning and they feel they are making a real impact. They also expressed a strong sense of connection, feeling inspired by our vision and purpose and taking great pride in how Raise contributes to the community. In 2024, Raise submitted its first annual report to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). Pleasingly, our gender pay gap for average total remuneration was within the optimal target range at -1.4%, reflecting our commitment to gender equality and indicating Raise has a balanced approach to compensation.
of employees agree that Raise is a great place to work
feel included and treated fairly, regardless of their background
90%
99%
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
27
Leadership Team: • V icki Condon AM • Matt Clarke • Emily Dale • Lucy Snowball • Tamara Salamacha • Adelaide Thompson • Kathleen Vella Board of Directors: • Leon Condon (Chair) • Andrew Birch • Tim Bishop • Vicki Condon • Joost de Kock • Jun Bei Liu • D r Matthew Miles Patron’s Advisory Council: • D avid Gonski AC (Chair) • Ilana Atlas AO • Chris Bond
Youth Advisory Council: • Ashwak Ahmed • Ava Anselme
Ambassadors: • M ark Beretta OAM • Ali Brahe-Daddo • C hloe Dalton OAM • R yan (“Fitzy”) Fitzgerald • Georgie Gardner • Ellia Green OAM • Tommy Herschell • Jean Kittson AM • Cathrine Mahoney • Pat McCutcheon • Hugh Sheridan
• Bree Cavanough • Charley Ellwood • Zali Fisher
• Dillon Harris • Rebecca Le • Lilian Meyer • Darcy Oates • Aidan Walker
• Erik Thomson • Jacinta Tynan
School Advisory Council: • Catherine Alderman • Brendan Barlow • Lance Berry • Fiona Bird • Maggie Butler • Helen Conidaris
• Edwina Ricci • Aaron Smith
Marketing Advisory Council: • Emma Flowers (Chair) • Anne Hyland
• David Knowles • Leslie Loble AM • Rachael McLennan • Lisa Paul AO • Rob Tassie
• Robbie Lawson • Susan Massasso • Nick Nichles • Jessica Ridley • Kylie Smith • Mikey Taylor • Charlotte Valente • Matt Williams
Research Advisory Council: • P rofessor Lucas Walsh (Chair)
• Rachel Christie • Carolyn Curtis • Penny Daikin • Anne Hampshire • Suzie Riddell
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
28
In 2024, we were thrilled to welcome 1,116 new mentors to the Raise Village, alongside a record 955 returning mentors. Mentor training
How does Raise ensure that mentors are trained, trustworthy, and safe for young people? Raise is the only youth mentoring organisation in Australia that provides comprehensive mentor training, including eight online mini-modules and a full day (or two half days) of group training, all supported by rigorous screening processes. Our industry-leading training has empowered over 10,000 individuals with essential mentoring skills, including communication, mental health awareness, youth safety, and youth culture, while reinforcing the qualities of a trustworthy mentor. Participants complete the program equipped with the knowledge and confidence to effectively support and engage with young people in a meaningful way. The outstanding feedback we receive highlights the exceptional quality of our training.
2,546 young people
1,116 new mentors
Record 955 returning mentors
These dedicated individuals generously volunteered their time and skills, creating a lasting impact on the lives of over 2,500 young people.
Feedback from post training evaluation: “Thank you so much for the excellent training yesterday. We covered a lot in the day, but it was all really relevant and excellently delivered. Everyone was lovely and I’m really excited for the next step in this program!” - 2024 Raise Mentor
of mentors rated the training they received as very good or excellent
of mentors indicated that their confidence to mentor significantly increased
98%
97%
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
29
Creating a ripple effect Evaluations of our training courses show that the skills participants develop are transferable across all areas of their lives. Our mentors consistently report applying the knowledge and techniques gained from our training and programs to both personal and professional settings, creating a positive ripple effect throughout our communities. 95% of mentors reported learning skills they could use in their personal relationships.
Among our corporate mentors (volunteers who mentor with Raise through their workplace), 86% said they developed skills applicable to their professional environment.
Additionally, an impressive 97% of university placement students shared that their training with Raise was complementary to their studies. We’re proud to be equipping a new generation with youth safety and mentoring skills, creating another avenue for a ripple effect.
of university students said Raise Mentor Training was complementary to their studies
97%
Fortifying safety standards We continuously review and enhance our rigorous safety practices. In addition to completing our best practice Raise Youth Mentor Training course, all Raise mentors undergo mandatory Working with Children Checks and National Crime Checks specific to their state. Raise continues its partnership with Oho, Australia’s first always-on national verification system, to enhance volunteer screening processes and quickly identify individuals who do not meet our selection criteria. Strengthening community We’re thrilled that 90% of mentors reported feeling a stronger connection to their community and 95% expressed a greater likelihood of volunteering after mentoring with us – demonstrating Raise’s impact in fostering engaged, connected, and thriving communities.
At Raise, we recognise the transformative power of mentoring in building strong, supportive communities grounded in hope and empowerment. We are committed to expanding mentoring opportunities and equipping more individuals with valuable mentoring skills. In 2024, we proudly launched Raise Learning – an industry-certified mentor training initiative through our social enterprise, the Raise Centre for Youth Mentoring. Raise Learning provides high-quality training for anyone who lives, works, or volunteers with young people – whether through formal mentoring in workplaces and programs like Raise or informal mentoring within their community, network, or home. Raise Learning offers a range of flexible training options, including courses, workshops, webinars, and ‘lunch and learn’ sessions, as well as tailored packages designed to meet specific needs. This groundbreaking initiative amplifies our ripple effect, extending our reach and providing another avenue to support young people and address the nationwide youth mental health crisis.
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
30
Fundraising and partnerships
Highlights of the year • Our biggest year in trusts and foundations income, raising over $900k. • Growing our trusts and foundations revenue stream, bringing on 4 new foundations in 2024. • Introduced a new Ripples Giving Circle – connecting like-minded women who want to create systemic change in youth wellbeing – who raised enough money to fully fund one whole program, and contribute funding to two other programs. • Doubling the number of supporters and fundraising participants: City2Surf raised $50k, with 144 fundraisers running for Raise; and Stride for Life grew to 850 striders! • Bringing to life the fundraising concept developed by Redlands School, NSW students, ‘Raise Dough, Bake a Difference’ raised $10,000 in its first year. • Welcoming our new principal partner Google.org into the Raise Village. • Our signature corporate events: Tribeca Spring Lunch and BTIG Trading Day which raised over $220,000, hosted by our Non-Executive Director, Jun Bei Liu • A very special private dinner, hosted by Simon and Mel Wright, for a group of generous philanthropists, with donations matched by Macquarie Foundation. • Expanding funding to Tasmania and welcoming a new major partner over a 5-year period.
Transforming young lives is only possible because of you. Together, we’re making mentorship accessible to every young person who needs it. At Raise, we know your generosity powers our work. To all our donors, philanthropic and corporate partners, and community supporters – thank you for investing in us to enhance our impact and expand our reach. Your support is the reason we can keep showing up for young people who need someone in their corner. Your generosity drove a 3% growth in fundraising and partnerships revenue, enabling us to support 2,546 more young people. Every dollar you’ve invested in Raise will help transform young lives – and create four times the value in social good. Collective giving amplifies impact, and it’s the combined generosity and commitment of our Raise Village that drives real change. Together, we have achieved an incredible year of lasting impact. Thank you for standing with us. Your generosity inspires everything we do – and the best is still to come.
Raise Ripples Giving Circle
Introduced Ripples Giving Circle
Introduced Raise Dough
Welcomed Google as a principal partner
x 2 Doubling our number of supporters and fundraising participants
Our biggest year in trusts and foundations income, raising over $900,000
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
31
A special thank you to our loyal supporters We are profoundly grateful to our multi-year partners. Your loyal support year-on-year creates transformative change – fostering collaboration, strengthening communities, and driving long-term social progress. Without your commitment, we wouldn’t have the stable foundation we need to plan with confidence and scale our efforts. Your consistent support allows us to focus on strategic growth and deliver even greater outcomes, rather than filing short-term funding gaps. Because of you, we can think bigger, reach further, and deliver sustainable solutions that change lives. Thank you for believing in the power of consistency. Your generosity doesn’t just make a difference – it builds a legacy of impact that will be felt for years to come.
Below: (clockwise from top left) Our Fundraising Team at Aurecon, Breakfast with the Board, Stride for Life, City to Surf, Parliament House, Patron’s Lunch.
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
32
Raise Foundation organisational goals Blue Deliver a high-quality program that has a positive impact Orange Expand that impact to more young people Green Ensure we do it sustainably KPI Target 2024 Actual 2023 Actual Summary KPI results 2020 to 2024
2022 Actual
2021 Actual
2020 Actual
Number of mentoring matches Number of programs (schools)
Increase yoy 2,546 Increase yoy 189
2,744 2,088 2,124 1,321
210
180
155
74
Match retention rate (within program) Mentees enjoyed the program Mentees would recommend Raise
>90% >90% >90%
86% 97% 94% Yes Yes Yes Yes 98% 98% 98% 99% 46%
86% 88% 74% 94% 97% 99% 98% 98% 93% 96% 94% 93%
Statistically significant impact on help seeking skills
Y/N Y/N
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Yes Yes
Yes*
Yes
Statistically significant impact on resilience
Yes
Yes*
Statistically significant impact on hope for the future Y/N
Yes* Yes*
Yes
Statistically significant impact on school belonging
Y/N
Yes*
N/A
Mentors enjoyed the program
>90%
97% 98% N/A
98%
Mentor likelihood of referring Raise to a friend
8/10
9.7/10 9.8/10 9/10
9/10
Mentor training rated favourably School satisfaction with program
>90% >90% >50%
100% 93% 99% 99%
98% 100% 100% 100%
Mentor retention rate (yoy)
32% 51%
52% 48%
% Increase reach (schools)
Increase yoy Plan no growth 16% 16% 61%
22%
Schools requested program again
>95% >90% >90% <100% >100%
97% 92% 69% 92% 82%
97% 98% 95% 98%
Staff team engagement with vision and purpose
96% 91%
97% 99%
Staff team retention rate Expense budget maintained Fundraising budget achieved
69% 75% 80% 93% 93% 94% 87% 93% 73% 82% 94% 95%
Fundraising growth Direct match cost
>20%
9%
-1%
4%
7%
42%
$2,000
$3,060
$3,300 $3,881
$2,791
$3,208
* For mentees who started with a low score in the outcome at the start of the program.
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
33
Our Strategic Impact Plan highlights the areas of strategic focus through the special projects we are prioritising this year. This ensures we remain true to our organisational vision, values, and core principles. As we scale our support to more young people, anywhere and anytime, it helps us to maintain best practice by: Strategic impact projects
Optimising our operating model as improvement and growth are equally important
Collaborating where possible, as we cannot be all things to all people
Staying true to our purpose and vision
Keeping young people at the heart of all we do
Maintaining quality and not compromising for the sake of quantity
Managing risk for youth safety and reputation
Ability to scale
Remaining committed to our core competencies
Enabling our staff with the tools to perform their roles
Continuing to deliver on our promises to key stakeholders
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
34
Strategic Impact Plan Summary 2024-2027
Purpose Mission Vision
Raise significantly improves youth wellbeing by connecting trained and trusted mentors with every young person in Australia who needs one
Young people thrive through adolescence, believe in themselves and others, and are equipped with tools for life
Impact
Mental health support – Help seeking
Social and emotional wellbeing – Resilience
Social and emotional wellbeing – Hope
School engagement – School belonging
1 Deliver mentoring and training programs that have a significant impact
2 Expand that impact to more young people, organisations and communities
3 Ensure we do it sustainably
Goals
People and Culture
Data and Youth Insights Operations
Marketing and Fundraising
Social Enterprise
Teams
Programs
Type
2025 2,970 2,420 $9.3m $8.4m
2026 4,128 3,318 $11m $10m
2027 5,354 4,394 $13m $12m
Mentees Mentors Revenue Expenses
Projections
Projects
Ability to scale
Raise Digital
Optimise In School Program
Values
Deliver excellence
Show heart
Be courageous
Practise integrity
Bring vitality
Give respect
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
35
Raise Foundation – income and expenses summary 2024
% Income summary
41 Corporate
$3.446m
13 Private and community 9 Trusts and foundations
$1.136m
$758k
Total fundraising income
$5.340m
Income %
30 Government 6 Fee for service
$2.559m
$461k
Total income
$8.360m
1 Other income
$93k
Total Revenue and other income
$8.453m
% Expenses summary
56 Program delivery
$4.390m
22 Fundraising and marketing 17 Technology and admin 5 Strategic Impact projects
$1.715m
Expenses %
$1.274k
$412k
Total Expenses
$7.791m
Every $1 spent on fundraising delivers more than $4 in funds to support our programs.
Raise Foundation | Annual Report 2024
36
Audited accounts 2024 Statement of profit or loss For the year ended 31 December 2024 2024
2023
$
$
Revenue and other income
8,620,008
8,464,060
Finance income Total Income
52,824
31,136
8,672,832
8,495,196
Employee expenses Marketing expenses
(6,462,884) (225,871) (380,668) (775,405) (7,844,828)
(7,048,734) (172,753) (389,782) (762,257) (8,373,526)
IT expenses
Finance, Depreciation and Other expenses
Together 4 Youth costs Together 4 Youth donation
(427,325) (647,524)
(624,508)
-
Total Expenses
(8,919,677) (246,845)
(8,998,034) (502,838)
Surplus/(deficit) for the year
The directors note that the deficit was primarily due to Raise Foundation’s support of the Together 4 Youth Collective which has now become its own entity. The donation of their fundraising monies over to the new entity is recorded in 2024, with the auspice arrangement now complete. Without this inclusion, Raise Foundation was in surplus.
*Our audited 2024 Financial Statements are available to view on our website.
Youth mentoring experts | raise.org.au
37
Audited accounts 2024 Statement of financial position For the year ended 31 December 2024 2024
2023
Balance Sheet
$
$
Assets Cash and cash equivalents Trade and other receivables
2,998,595
3,271,666
216,244
214,713
Total current assets
3,214,839
3,486,379
Total non-current assets
39,186
137,959
Total assets
3,254,025
3,624,338
Liabilities Total current liabilities
891,706 124,041 1,015,747
1,079,634
Total non-current liabilities
59,581
Total liabilities
1,139,215
Net assets Total equity
2,238,278 2,238,278
2,485,123 2,485,123
Evaluation Report 2024 One action, big impact
raise.org.au
Raise Foundation | Evaluation Report 2024
2
A note from our Data and Youth Insights Team
Community is the antidote to loneliness—and it starts with one conversation. It can be hard being a young person in 2024. For the first time in recent history young people are the most likely group to experience loneliness and isolation. More than 3 in 5 of the mentees in Raise school
Raise, to mentor other young people and to pay forward the difference that mentoring made to them. Year after year, thousands of people from all walks of life volunteer to mentor a young person in need in one of our 10 or 20-week in-school programs. They are motivated by a range of factors including giving back to their community, developing their own skills to work or to parent, getting to know new people – but almost universally they end the mentoring year with a greater empathy for young people, a greater understanding of the issues facing young people and a greater appreciation for what it is like to be a young person right now. This year Raise reached 2,546 young people through our in-school programs. Of those, 96% identified at least one positive impact of mentoring from improved confidence and the ability to make friends, to better mental health and feeling less lonely, and being more likely to help others. Across our four key outcomes of Help Seeking, Hope for the Future, Resilience and School Engagement we achieved statistically significant growth in all four outcomes for our 20- week program and three of the four for our 10-week programs. Four out of five parents and carers saw this impact independently – in their child’s wellbeing and in the relationship they had with their child.
programs this year cited loneliness as an issue they had personally faced. Young people are less likely to have a strong social network, less likely to seek help when they need it and less likely to feel optimistic about their future. Young people are worried about what’s happening in their communities, what is happening at school and what is happening in the wider world – as well as the existential threat of climate change and natural disasters. As adults reading about the mental health crisis, school refusal, violence and disconnection, it can feel hard to work out how to help, when the challenges feel systemic and too large for any one person to ameliorate. When Raise started back in 2008, we set out to support just one young person, taking local action in one local community. Sixteen years later we have supported more than 16,000 young people and trained more than 10,000 volunteer mentors to be changemakers in our schools and changemakers in their communities. Young people who came through our programs in early high school are coming back as adults to rejoin
“I hope you keep doing this, so you can help somebody the way you have helped me.” - Raise Mentee
The power of showing up | raise.org.au Youth mentoring experts
3
Last year we measured the impact Raise mentors have beyond mentoring and found that as well as making a difference for their mentee, they were able to support at least one additional young person and one additional adult in their lives. This year, we built on this finding to discover that mentors from their first year at Raise are using their skills to help others – four out of five new mentors use their skills to help other young people in their families and their community or help others in their workplace. Raise mentors feel more equipped to support young people because the relationship they have built with their mentee/s has broken down generational barriers – grandparents are building their confidence to relate to their grandchildren’s experiences and parents understand how to encourage their children to seek help when they need it. Evaluation has always been a cornerstone of our youth mentoring programs. The Raise Independent Evaluation, funded by the Australian Department of Health was completed and launched this year. Comparing outcomes to a matched control group of similar students, the evaluation found that Raise causes positive impact on a range of outcomes and works best for young people most in need. The benefits of prevention and intervening early also make sound economic sense. Investing in Raise Youth Mentoring for a young person aged 13-15, yields benefits across their whole lifetime in better education outcomes and higher earnings, as well as avoided costs in healthcare and welfare. An independent economic evaluation of the costs and benefits of Raise Youth Mentoring found a return of $4.37 for every $1 invested. We can now answer the question ‘Does Raise Youth Mentoring work?’ with a resounding ‘Yes’. In 2025, in partnership with the Life Course Centre at the University of Sydney we are commencing another independent study, this time looking at the long-term sustained impacts of Raise Youth Mentoring, beyond high school and into early adulthood. Our mentoring programs are made up of thousands of individual stories of hope, resilience, help seeking and belonging. We can’t share all of them with you, but we can share a few. If you are one of the 1,938 mentors who volunteered with Raise this year you may recognise your own mentee’s journey in the impact we have made together in 2024.
If not a Raise mentor, I hope you are inspired by the difference that building connection in local communities and across generations can make. The actions of just one person can lead to change makers everywhere. “The program has been great. My mentor has been so helpful, and she is the best. Before Raise I was insecure and didn’t know what to do and thanks to Raise it has been so helpful. I would love to do it as a mentor myself in the future.” – Raise Mentee
Data and Youth Insights Team
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82Made with FlippingBook Converter PDF to HTML5