
Theory of Change
#Disruptfinancial Hardship
for Youth
Theory of Change
Theory of Change
Connect students who are growing up in financial hardship
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Local community mentors, guides and business
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Support those students to build self-confidence, new skills, resilience and learn to trust others through positive engagement activities that are inline with student interests.




By providing students with regular access to locally based community activities Yolo Optin disrupts the social exclusion component found in the
Connection
Activities connect students to businesses, mentors, trainers and other individuals with like interests, skill sets and positive activity based sub-cultures
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Short Term
Connection
Regular interactions with mentors, trainers, activity managers and staff, school welfare teams
Skills Building
Students build skills fostering future participation in community activities particularly adventure, tourism and arts sectors
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Short Term
Skills Building
Regular and varied activities in supervised and safe environments with qualified trainers and teachers for enhancing and building new skills
Self-Worth
Student activities introduced to new positive spaces fostering self-reliance, problem solving, creativity and self-actualization
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Short Term
Self-Worth
Regular exposure to challenging activities set at appropriate skill levels for active confidence building, resilience and engagement

Breaking down the exclusion component of the Poverty Cycle with access to local mentors, skills training and opportunities for creative and physical expression
Regular confidence and skills building exercises represent the building blocks that enable students to overcome life challenges.
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Identity and self-confidence underpinned by hard and soft skills for positive/productive community engagement and interactions is to enhance good decision making leading to a greater ability to break the poverty cycle.


Assumptions/enablers:
1. Partnerships generate adequate funds to facilitate activities
2. Activities are facilitated by School Partners
3. Partner business adhere strictly to all safety guidelines and maintain the highest standards for the duration of the event/activity
4. Participating students actively engage in a manner that promotes their own learning and the learning of their peers