Transformative Partnership with Minderoo Foundation

Brave Foundation is excited to announce a new three-year collaboration with Minderoo Foundation to amplify and elevate the voices of young parents. The project, Our Voices, Our Lives, Our Future, will put young parents at the forefront of research, advocacy and communications on matters affecting them and their children on a national scale.

Jill Roche, CEO of Brave Foundation, highlighted the significance of the partnership.

“This partnership with Minderoo Foundation represents a powerful alignment of vision.  Together, we are championing the value of local knowledge and lived experience to foster sustainable change,” Ms Roche said.

“This collaboration will ensure the voices of young parents across Australia are amplified, putting them at the forefront of decisions that impact their lives and communities.”

Ana Nieto, Director of Early Years at the Minderoo Foundation said they were delighted to partner with Brave.

“Like all parents, young parents are full of potential and life experience who want the best for their children. Unfortunately, their voices are often overlooked in policy debates,” she said.

“Through this initiative, the Brave Foundation will continue its outstanding work empowering young parents to speak up, advocate for their families and champion for their communities. With a proven track record of placing young parents front and centre, we are excited to see the impact the Brave Foundation will make in elevating the voices of young parents and ensuring that all children have the opportunity to thrive.”   

Our Voices, Our Lives, Our Future will employ young parents in key roles within Brave and include a significant expansion of the Empowering the Voices of Young Parents (EVYP) advisory group and the exploration of a First Nations youth advisory group by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young parents. By investing in research and evaluation, Brave will further expand the reach of the insights, exchanging knowledge and ideas with government and peer organisations on what works for young parent families in their communities.

This transformative project builds upon Brave’s proven history of working directly with young parents across the country and reflects Brave’s commitment to fostering a future where young parents are empowered, supported, and connected.

Young parent and EVYP member Sophie said it was exciting to hear that the advisory group would expand and that being involved in EVYP had provided her with a sense of community and opportunity to impact change.

“The recurring theme in all EVYP meetings is the sense of community. Differing of opinions never get in the way and all voices are heard and respected,” Sophie said.

“The open dialogue creates a safe environment to facilitate young parents to be able to make an impact concerning their families.”

Through the initiatives of the Our Voices, Our Lives, Our Future project, Brave will advocate for a system where young parents receive the tailored assistance they have identified as essential.

“By contributing to capacity building of peer organisations and increasing the connectedness of government to truly understand and respond to the needs of young parents, we can be sure that future generations are in a position to thrive. We’re excited that young parents will see themselves represented in and leading this work, knowing their voices are driving meaningful change,” Ms Roche said.

The partnership marks Brave’s first major step in implementing its new strategy for 2025-2030, which envisions a future where every young parent and child thrives.

“Our approach has evolved and matured over recent years, building upon our foundation of mission and impact, with lived experience at the core of everything we do. Brave’s strategy will see the organisation become a Centre of Excellence for Young Parents,” said Ms Roche.

“To us, excellence means listening directly to young parents, continuously improving our programs, and sharing our knowledge through advocacy and policy. Brave’s vision is a future where every young parent and their child thrives and belongs, and that vision cannot be realised through the work of Brave alone. Together with Minderoo Foundation, we are committed to helping build a brighter, more inclusive Australia for young families.”

Young parents are encouraged to keep an eye on our website and social media channels for opportunities to get involved!

13 January 2025