Larita Academy 2026: Connection, Courage and Opportunity in Action

This year, 23 young people from Youth Projects took part in Larita Academy, a four-day immersive experience bringing together 11 youth partner organisations, industry leaders, creatives and entrepreneurs to help young people explore what’s possible when they step into new environments with support behind them. 

Across four days, the Academy created space for young people to connect, try new things, and hear directly from people who have built careers and businesses across sport, media, hospitality, arts and enterprise. 

From the very beginning, the shift was visible. Young people who didn’t know each other arrived into the same room and, over time, started to find connection, confidence and shared experience.  

Stepping into new worlds 

A major highlight of the program is the range of electives and industry experiences designed to stretch thinking and build real-world exposure. 

Young people stepped into hands-on sessions including a cooking experience led by Chef Stephen Nairn, and creative sessions at the Bromley Studio with David and Yug Bromley, alongside other leading coaches across branding, beauty, art and leadership. 

Across these sessions, young people weren’t just observing, but actively participating, asking questions, trying new things and getting a real sense of what different pathways can look and feel like in practice. 

The program also brought together a diverse group of speakers and leaders sharing honest, real-world journeys, spanning from sport to politics to business leaders. Across every session, the focus stayed grounded in what it actually takes to build something including the mindset shifts, the setbacks and the decisions behind outcomes. 

Opportunities like this matter because they give young people experiencing disadvantage the chance to step outside what’s familiar, try new things and safely test what might be possible for their future. Exposure is often the missing piece, not ability or ambition.  

At Youth Projects, we see this every day through our initiatives like our Discovery Days, where young people step into real workplaces and environments to explore different industries firsthand. We have a number of experiences with partners including a chocolate factory visit, beauty industry with L’Oreal and getting on the tools with Toll. We are proud to be able to continue opening doors to environments that many young people wouldn’t otherwise have access to.  

Nadia, a current Transition to Work and CareStart client, took part in this years Larita Academy. She is now preparing for a traineeship role at Footscray Hospital. 

Nadia shared: 

“Larita Academy reminded me that where you start in life doesn’t limit where you’re capable of going. Through the people, mentorship and experiences, I gained confidence in myself and my future.” 

For Nadia, the experience contributed to a broader journey of building confidence, expanding her sense of what’s possible, and stepping into real employment pathways. It’s a clear example of how exposure, support and connection can translate into tangible next steps for young people.  

A growing community with proven impact 

All the young people who completed the Academy reported a positive impact on their lives from this week, but more importantly, we saw young people backing themselves to speak up, engaging even when they felt nervous, taking part in activities they’ve never tried before and building connections across different organisations, different backgrounds and different walks of life.  

Year on year, the Larita Academy continues to expand, with more young people, more partners, more experiences and a shared commitment to shifting outcomes for young people through connection, exposure and opportunity. 

For Youth Projects, supporting 23 young people to take part in 2026 reflects the importance of ensuring our young people are not just invited to opportunities like this, but are actively supported to step into them. 

The outcomes at Larita Academy aren’t predetermined. They are shaped by the young people themselves, with the program simply creating space for possibility.