Support us engaging young people
Fostering next-gen storytellers and audiences
Adopting a participatory approach, Documentary Australia will empower young people (aged 18-30) to co-create a program that genuinely reflects their needs, interests, and lived experiences.
The Issue
Growing social and political unrest, environmental concern, digital fatigue, housing and cost-of-living crises, the impact of AI on entry-level jobs, and having experienced a global pandemic at a critical age has left young
Australians today navigating new and unique challenges. Young adults who have outgrown the support
frameworks available to younger adolescents feel anxious, overwhelmed and isolated. 43% of young
Australians feel lonely, with 18-25 year olds more likely to be persistently lonely than 15-17 year olds. They also
feel disempowered and misrepresented, with 32% of 18-24 year olds reporting low trust in government and
66% of youth feeling that news media doesn’t understand their lives. Yet, if given adequate opportunities,
avenues and support, young people are ready to engage; the BBC reported that globally, “70% of Gen Zers are […] highly socially involved, advocating for causes they believe in.”
Our Solution
- Supporting young filmmakers to create documentaries that reflect diverse youth voices, perspectives, and
lived experiences - Amplifying socially impactful documentaries by and about young people, as well as the issues they care
about, to increase visibility and deepen engagement - Building young audiences for documentary through targeted initiatives that encourage screenings,
engagement and connection around relatable content
Our Impact
We will facilitate the creation and amplification of documentaries that reflect the stories, perspectives and
priorities of the next generation, ensuring they reach the young audiences who need to see them most. When young people recognise themselves on screen, it fosters a sense of connection, identity and empowerment.
By reducing common barriers (finances, resources, skills, access) we will improve opportunities for young
documentary filmmakers to platform the voices and causes that matter to them and their peers.
Ultimately, the program will help sustain the future and legacy of documentary as a vital artform, ensuring that –
in an increasingly cluttered content landscape – authentic and meaningful storytelling continues to cut through,
connect and create change.
"The secret message communicated to most young people today by the society around them is that they are not needed, that the society will run itself quite nicely until they – at some distant point in the future – take over the reigns. Yet the fact is that the society is not running itself nicely… because the rest of us need all the energy, brains, imagination and talent that young people can bring to bear down on our difficulties."
CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE
Cealan Macdonnell | Marketing & Engagement Coordinator
[email protected]
Dr Mitzi Goldman | CEO
[email protected]
Help make a difference with documentary
Documentary Australia is a unique not-for-profit that ensures important stories are told, seen and achieve social impact outcomes. Find out how to join our community for powerful change below:
We support documentaries that inspire change across a broad range of issues
Our Programs
Environmental Accelerator
ENVIRONMENT
Documentary Australia is committed to increasing engagement with environmental issues and empowering action to protect the planet, using documentary storytelling as a tool to create change. Launched in November 2022, the Environmental Accelerator amplifies the impact of up to 10 documentary projects over three years to increase awareness and motivating action for the environment.
SheDoc
WOMEN + GIRLS
In 2024 SheDoc elevated the careers of six female-identifying filmmakers, particularly in key creative roles under-represented by women. Our vision is to provide talented women with resources and support for their professional development in order to help elevate issues relating to women and girls with an emphasis on gender-equity in documentary storytelling.
Impact Producer Program
Documentary Australia launched the Impact Producer Program in 2023 – a new ten-month professional development program that aims to train the next generation of Impact Producers. This program is the first of its kind in Australia, developed in response to the increasingly unmet demand for experienced professionals to undertake this role.
Centralised Indigenous Fellowship
Launched in 2019, the Centralised Indigenous Fellowship aims to create a bespoke career development program for First Nations documentary filmmakers to increase their skills and knowldge and share their stories. This enables a the career advancement of a new generation of Aboriginal screen storytellers and encourages generations that come after them.
We use stories to incite action and create impact on
vital social issues
Annual Impact Report 2024-2025
In FY24-25, Documentary Australia continued its unwavering commitment to leveraging the power of storytelling for social change.
At a time when trust has been eroded and the truth can't always be relied on in mainstream or social media, documentary storytelling is becoming more important than ever. Through a combination of impactful documentaries, strategic partnerships and dedicated donor support, we have made significant strides in advancing our mission.
Our dedicated community of donors play a pivotal role in our success. Your generous support enables us to bring powerful stories to life and to create real impact on the issues that matter most.