Five years of empowering African-Australian young people to lead with strength, confidence and belonging.
Acknowledgement Of CountryASPYA Foundation acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, and recognises the Wadawurrung and other Kulin Nation peoples across Melbourne's west. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded and honour the enduring strength, culture and leadership of First Nations communities.
Founded as the African Youth Initiative, ASPYA Foundation has grown from a grassroots movement into a trusted community organisation, partnering with state governments, local councils and research institutions across Victoria to support African-Australian young people and their families.
To shape a world in which African-Australian young people can reach their fullest potential, a future where they lead with strength, confidence and a sense of belonging.
To break the cycle of disadvantage by empowering young Africans with the skills, cultural pride and confidence to build brighter futures through education, restorative justice, leadership and safe, inclusive spaces.
We believe lasting change begins with connection, culture and belonging. By creating safe, supportive environments and fostering positive relationships, we empower young people to realise their potential, strengthen their identity and build brighter futures for themselves, their families and their communities.
Everything we do works toward three connected outcomes for young African-Australians and their communities:
Equitable access to opportunity so every young person can thrive.
Addressing root causes across education, justice, health and advocacy.
Strengthening identity, culture and connection to community.
One of ASPYA Foundation's defining strengths is its collaborative model of community leadership. As the organisation grew, it developed an innovative approach that brings together youth-led community groups, including Girl Chat, HomeCourt and Faithful Coalition, under one organisational umbrella.
By auspicing these groups and managing governance, administration and compliance, ASPYA Foundation enables them to access funding and focus on delivering meaningful, community-led programs. Since 2023, this model has supported the delivery of programs and events that have engaged thousands of young people and their families across Melbourne's western suburbs. More than a funding model, it reflects our belief that trusted partnerships and community-led solutions create lasting impact.
Girl Chat empowers multicultural women and girls through culturally responsive, community-led programs. In partnership with schools, councils and community organisations, we deliver workshops, events and mentoring that promote identity, wellbeing, confidence and leadership, anchored in long-term mentorship and meaningful relationships.
A Melbourne-based early-intervention and mentoring ministry partnering with NGOs, churches and government to create pro-social opportunities for young men. Through peer mentoring, faith-based discussion and practical support, participants build positive identities, resist harmful influences and reconnect with family and community, reporting improved self-esteem and a stronger sense of purpose.
Established by Nathan Peeters in response to youth disengagement and a lack of accessible third spaces, HomeCourt is a free, low-barrier and welcoming weekly fixture where young people connect through sport and build community, with no cost or formal commitment required. Its strong cultural diversity makes basketball a shared language that fosters respect, inclusion and connection, while creating paid work for facilitators, marshals and coaches.
ASPYA Foundation was established in response to the tragedy of youth violence and a shared commitment to creating safer, stronger, more connected communities. Meaningful responses to youth offending require more than a single intervention. Young people need support before they enter the justice system, while they are navigating it, and as they transition back into their communities.
We view youth justice not as an isolated issue, but as the result of challenges across a young person's life: education, family support, mental health and community connection. Our work is centred on prevention, early intervention and restoration, addressing the root causes of offending rather than its symptoms, and amplifying the voices of young people and families through advocacy.
A documentary challenging dominant narratives about African-Australian young people and youth justice, following the journey of Sabir Banek. Featured on ABC News, an independent University of Cambridge evaluation found it inspired audiences and influenced professional practice, with two-thirds of viewers more likely to partner with community organisations.
As part of the South Sudanese Australian Youth Justice Expert Working Group, we hosted a Youth Forum in Melton bringing together young people, families, community members and representatives from the Department of Justice and Community Safety and the Commission for Children and Young People. Insights shared directly informed a landmark report and government understanding of community priorities for youth justice reform.
A three-year partnership that established our consortium model, enabling culturally responsive early-prevention programs that strengthen youth engagement, health and wellbeing, leadership, identity and positive role modelling.
As a delivery partner with NextGen Unite in this Jesuit Social Services initiative, we match young African-Australians in the youth justice system with community mentors who bring lived, cultural and community experience, responding to a recognised gap in culturally responsive mentoring.
We approach education as a critical mechanism through which young people gain the ability to shape their own futures. Educational disengagement is rarely a reflection of ability or aspiration. It is shaped by structural barriers including limited support outside the classroom, culturally unsafe learning environments and a lack of role models who reflect a young person's own experience.
Our work is grounded in accessibility, cultural safety and sustained mentorship. Over five years we have delivered homework support, academic mentoring and culturally responsive engagement across schools in Melbourne's western suburbs, working alongside teachers, families and community leaders to keep students engaged and build confidence toward further study, training and employment.
Funded by the Department of Education, we deliver the Victorian African Communities Action Plan (VACAP) Homework Club across two schools in Melbourne's west, strengthening literacy, numeracy, school engagement and cultural belonging through trusted partnerships with schools, students and families.
ASPYA Foundation has hosted over 15 school programs across private and public schools in Melbourne's western suburbs, engaging an average of 25 young people per school on average. These school programs utilise the knowledge gained from Girl Chat, Faithful Coalition, and other successful cultural engagement to provide overarching support to young people. In total, this means our school-based work has directly supported more than 450 young people, providing culturally safe spaces for mentorship, identity-building and academic support within the school environment. This reach reflects the trust ASPYA Foundation has built with schools as a partner in supporting the wellbeing and development of African-Australian students.
Our VCE Step Forward program supports African-Australian students through mentorship from the STAA Team (Someone To Aspire After), former VCE students who achieved ATARs above 90. Through school seminars and workshops, mentors provide practical study advice, subject guidance and motivation, while also helping parents understand the VCE system and available pathways. Feedback from students and families has been overwhelmingly positive.
Our work in education would not be made possible without the countless Victorian teachers who work to change the journeys of young people everyday. We owe our work to teachers such as Reece Wilkie, whose memory pushes us to make education safe, accessible and a tool for freedom for every young person.
We view sport and active engagement as a deliberate, evidence-informed mechanism for youth development, wellbeing and community connection. Access to structured, culturally safe sporting environments is inequitably distributed. Financial barriers, cultural unfamiliarity with local sporting structures and a lack of representation have historically limited the participation of African-Australian young people.
Grounded in accessibility, mentorship and cultural grounding, we ensure every young person who walks through our doors can participate, regardless of financial circumstances or background. Over five years we have used sport to reach young people who may not engage with formal settings, supporting registrations, uniforms and coaching, and celebrating cultural diversity as a core strength of the community.
Grant support enabled free weekly registrations, team uniforms and coaching, reducing financial barriers for African families and ensuring consistent participation. The club reached the SSBA finals, and the under-18 girls' team travelled to Canberra and won their division.
Grant support provided jerseys, weekly training and organised competition for three dedicated teams: IXOYE, IXOYE77 and The Disciples. Both IXOYE and The Disciples won their divisions, and many players connect on to Faithful Coalition's men's initiative.
In our earliest years we delivered ad hoc sporting and fitness programs in response to immediate community need. Among these, the Afro-Kids and Women's Fitness Program (2022-2024) engaged over one hundred women aged 16-25 and over fifty children aged 5-12 in moderate physical activity, formative work that shaped our understanding of sport's role in community health and cohesion.
In partnership with the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, the GOAL Mentoring Program connected African-background young people aged 12-17 with AFL and AFLW players and community mentors in a culturally safe environment, growing from eight participants during COVID-19 to more than 40. We also supported the WBCF Youth Leadership Project.
Six South Sudanese young women aged 13-22 participated in workshops and facilitated discussions examining mental health and the structural and cultural barriers affecting wellbeing. The project concluded with the community event Unpacking Mental Health in South Sudanese Households, sharing findings and encouraging open, culturally responsive conversations.
ASPYA Foundation's story has been one of resilience and faith, underpinned by a constant commitment to our community and the young people we support. I view myself as extremely privileged to lead the organisation which changed my own life and now help steward it into the future. This leadership, however, cannot occur without a recognition of the past 5 years, the profound work and dedication of our founders, and the immense impact our organisation has had on the communities which need it most. There are countless young people, including myself, whose journey has been altered by the programs, mentorship, and support which ASPYA Foundation has offered.
As we move forward it is clear that the work is not done. There is a continuous need to grow our services and ensure that they are reflective of the new realities facing African-Australian young people. We will do this not simply by doing more, but by doing better. This means strengthening our evidence base, tracking outcomes more rigorously and ensuring the programs we deliver are informed by data and community voice in equal measure.
A key priority for the next chapter of ASPYA Foundation is building on the capacity and capability of our network through effective resource creation, workforce development and programming. We are committed to growing the governance, infrastructure and financial sustainability of the organisation so that our work is resilient, diversified and positioned for long-term impact. We also hope to expand our reach, deepening our presence in Melbourne's Western suburbs while extending ourselves to new communities and schools which remain underserved.
Perhaps most importantly, we recognise that the young people we support today are the advocates, mentors, and organisational leaders of tomorrow. Building deliberate pathways for their leadership is central to how we think about the future. This will ensure our efficacy in supporting the current generation of African-Australians, whilst equipping the incoming generations of migrants and refugees who will inevitably encounter similar barriers. It is my hope that the next 5 years of ASPYA Foundation will build on our impact, deepen our roots, and strengthen our young people for the future.
The work of ASPYA Foundation across the past five years would not have been possible without the sustained support, trust and commitment of our partners and collaborators, including the government departments, research institutions and community groups whose investment in young people has enabled us to grow, adapt and deliver.
ASPYA Foundation's work is made possible by the generosity and commitment of our volunteers, partners and supporters. Whether you want to volunteer, partner with us, or make a donation, there are many ways to contribute to the wellbeing of young African-Australians in Melbourne's west.
Volunteers are welcomed across our programs and events, bringing your time, skills and heart to the community.
Explore partnership opportunities with schools, councils, government and community organisations.
Every donation helps us deliver and expand culturally responsive initiatives for young people.