The challenges facing young people have only intensified. Today, 63,000 young people in Queensland are experiencing disengagement from education, a number forecast to grow to 283,000 10 to 14 year olds by 2030. One in four young people face mental health challenges, and suicide remains the leading cause of death among young people. (TRACTION Annual Report 2025)

These are the numbers Sandy Murdoch and his team at TRACTION wake up to every day.

TRACTION works with young people as early as grade five, long before disengagement turns into dropping out. Small groups. Real mentors. Practical projects like building a bike to keep. No classroom pressure, just a safe place to experience success and belonging.

The results speak for themselves: 100% of participants report feeling more motivated to finish school, and 98% complete the program. But it's the stories that stay with you: a young man who found solace at TRACTION on the day he lost his father, and a young woman who became the first in her family to finish school.

Sandy's founding belief is simple: reaching young people early, before they fall through the cracks, is one of the smartest investments a community can make.

Welcome to Episode 6: Sparking momentum with Sandy Murdoch, TRACTION

If this Episode raises anything for you, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.