Game Changers in Action: Driving Ubuntu African Australian Career Expo

Ubuntu Project’s African Australian Career Expo, held on 17 May 2025 and attended by more than 100 young people, was created to provide young people from African backgrounds with a space where they could see themselves reflected in a wide range of careers. The goal is to break down barriers by connecting youth with African Australian professionals who have navigated similar challenges and succeeded in their fields.

“What makes this year’s expo different is that its youth led and culturally grounded,” said Abubaker Okud, Employment Coordinator at Ubuntu Project. “It’s designed by young people for young people. Five participants from the Game Changers program helped shape and run every aspect of the event, from program design and logistics to speaker outreach and managing the event on the day.”

While working on the expo, participants gained valuable hands-on experience in event planning and professional communication. They developed leadership and teamwork skills by assisting with coordination of various elements of the expo, including logistics, outreach, and on the day operations. They also gained insight into time management, problem solving, and how to adapt in a fast-paced event environment. Overall, the experience helped them build confidence in their abilities and gave them a real-world understanding of what it takes to deliver a large-scale community event.

“At first I was thinking, how it was my first time [coordinating] events, am I able to do that? The outcome was great. And it was easy! I'd like to [be involved] in more events like this one, and organising events in the future,” said Game Changers participant Madina Omar.

To support participants, Ubuntu Project and The Huddle provided mentoring, regular check-ins, and clear role delegation while still giving them space to lead. “We walked them through key elements of event planning and supported them in building confidence when communicating with professionals or managing parts of the expo. We made sure they felt included, valued, and supported throughout — not just as helpers, but as co-creators,” said Abubaker.

“I did a lot of things I said I couldn’t do,” said Yusra Abdulkarim, who also worked in the project team. “I was interested in studying project management, but I wasn't sure. After I did Game Changers, now I'm sure I want do it.”

A highlight for Abubaker was seeing how the participants took ownership of their roles and worked collaboratively to deliver such a successful event.

“Whether it was helping to coordinate activities, managing staff on the day, or confidently approaching speakers and attendees, each participant contributed meaningfully and brought their own strengths to the table,” he said. “It was clear that they were proud of the event they helped shape, and it was inspiring to see their growth and leadership in action throughout the process.”

Liam Jansen was another Game Changers participant who worked on the African Australian Careers Expo and found great value in getting outside his comfort zone to get the most out of himself and take the next steps on his career journey. “My most enjoyable aspect was I got to work in a group and be a part of a project,” he said. “That was great. I got to meet people, like Fraser (Careers & Volunteers Officer with The Huddle) who helped me with developing my resume. He really supported me and even directed me to a Certificate in Engineering course, which I’ll be studying at Victoria University.”

Game Changers and the partnership between The Huddle and Ubuntu Project was made possible thanks to the support of Paving the Way Forward and the Victorian State Government.