TRACTION | Friendship Tree
Three people are working on a bicycle frame mounted on a stand. Two young people are wearing white protective masks. A man wearing a black "Traction Mentor" shirt is standing behind them, smiling. Colorful graffiti is visible on the wall in the background.

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A group of young people and a male mentor, who is wearing a black "Traction Mentor" shirt, are gathered outdoors making sandwiches. They are standing around a table with bread, butter, and condiments. The mentor is smiling down at the food he is preparing.

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Two people, both wearing white protective masks, are outside spray-painting a bicycle frame. A young woman with red hair is holding the spray can and applying paint, while a woman in a black "Traction Mentor" shirt looks on.

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A close-up shot of a young man and a woman in a black "Traction Mentor" shirt, standing behind a table. They are both smiling directly at the camera. The young man has his hands on a colorful, stickered boombox they have built. Graffiti is visible on the wall behind them.

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A young woman with red hair and safety glasses is smiling brightly at the camera while practicing soldering a wire with an iron in a workshop. A man with a beard and a black "Traction Mentor" shirt looks on and smiles. Various electronic components and tools are on the table.

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Two young women in safety glasses are working indoors on a bicycle frame. The woman on the left, with her hair in a bun, is smiling and holding a cloth. The woman on the right, with red hair, is holding a purple bicycle frame piece as another person's hands work on it with a tool.

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TRACTION

TRACTION

  • Education
  • Youth

Building Human Momentum Together

TRACTION for Young People is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to empowering vulnerable young people to build confidence, resilience, and hope for their future. Our hands-on mentoring programs support young people aged 10–16 who are disengaged or at risk of disengaging from school, facing mental health challenges, or experiencing social disadvantage.

At the heart of TRACTION is a simple but powerful idea: young people thrive when they are seen, heard, and supported by trusted adults in safe, inclusive environments. We create these group environments that are hands-on project-based where young people work alongside mentors, develop life skills, and achieve tangible successes that spark belief in themselves and act as a positive catalyst into other areas of their lives.

$
Our Impact
2,624+
Young people Empowered
125,370+
Hours of mentoring since 2015
2,168+
Bicycles donated to young people
$6.96 Million
in positive annual impact (independent evaluation)
Engagement in learning
76% more positive about going to or being at school
Resilience and mental health
80% of Young People report improved social and emotional development after a TRACTION program
Behaviour and skills
93% developed better teamwork skills and 79% developed their leadership skills
Improved wellbeing
82% of Young people report improved wellbeing after a TRACTION program
Recent achievements
A young woman, Leila, wearing a black Everlast hoodie and red shorts, stands next to her BMX bike, which has a custom two-wheel attachment on the back. She is smiling and looking off to the side. Two young men are standing behind her in front of a large red roller door.

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Leila - Love of learning

Leila recalls how patient and understanding the mentors were. They would explain expectations and consequences and knew how to connect with the students and bring everyone out of their shell in order to relax, open up and have fun. Leila explained how the biggest problems for lots of kids is related to just sitting in the classroom but for TRACTION, being in a different environment and learning by doing was a game changer. “We had to learn time management, responsibility, and to take ownership. The method of how things were taught was just spot on. TRACTION really shifted my mindset and I discovered that I actually did really like school, especially science because it involved the hands on learning elements like TRACTION did. TRACTION helped break me out of a bad habit of missing school , the more I missed the harder school became, I wasn't understanding things. TRACTION helped me become more confident in asking for help and that then helped me feel better about asking for help from teachers at school. I am grateful that I changed my mindset from Yr 9, TRACTION definitely helped me to change that, I was on the way to dropping out of school but now I can proudly say, I am the first in family to graduate from Yr. 12.” Leila also explained how TRACTION gave her a taste of public speaking and leadership and in Yr. 12 this led to her becoming one of the school’s Indigenous leaders. Having now successfully finished Yr. 12, Leila is looking forward to further study through TAFE and plans to use this as a pathway to achieve her dream of studying Marine Biology at University.

Three men are standing side-by-side and smiling in a workshop with a black wall that has a large yellow "TRACTION" logo on it. The man in the center, Riley, wears glasses and has his arms around the other two men, who are wearing black polo shirts with the Traction logo. A workbench is visible in the foreground.

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Riley’s Story - TRACTION gave me the confidence to pursue my dream

In 2020, Riley was actively disengaging and regularly missing school, disruptive in the classroom, and had poor social bonds with peers. At TRACTION, his mentors helped him develop strategies to communicate more effectively, build his teamwork and leadership skills and focus on attainable learning goals. This gave Riley the tools and confidence to achieve his dream career in the Defence Force.

A portrait of three people—two men and one woman—sitting together on a brown leather couch in front of a white curtain. The woman in the center wears a bright green patterned dress and glasses. The young man on the right, Louis, wears a blue work shirt, and the older man on the left wears a navy t-shirt and shorts. They are all smiling at the camera.

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Louis' Story

Louis, now 19, completed his TRACTION program back in 2019. Louis shared that TRACTION arrived at a crucial point in his schooling years and provided direction when he needed it most. His love for hands-on learning found a perfect match in TRACTION's practical environment, and the skills he acquired there set him up for success in TAFE, his first job, and his pursuit of an apprenticeship as an electrician. Louis said, "I was never going to be the boy that would get my ATAR or great grades and go to uni. TRACTION got me ready to do TAFE in years 10 and 11. It set me up well for my next few years." His mother told us, "Louis is a practical kid, so hands-on learning was really important. The skills he learnt there helped him go to TAFE, helped him get his job, and helped him to get where he is now with his apprenticeship." Louis's story is a testament to the power of hands-on education and mentorship and reminds us that within every young person is incredible potential.

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