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What is it?
Recruitment is about making it as easy and appealing as possible for young people to say yes and get involved. The process should be clear, accessible, and free from unnecessary barriers.
For many young people, the way an opportunity is presented tells them whether it was designed for someone like them. Unclear expectations, formal language, or complicated application processes can be enough to make a motivated young person walk away before they've even started.
Organisations that invest in getting recruitment right attract participants who show up with confidence, because the process itself told them they belonged.
Common challenges
What barriers do organisations face at this stage?
Structured applications are built to assess experience, but organisations recruiting young people are often hiring for attitude, and aptitude. Many organisations told us they don't discover whether someone actually has interest until onboarding.
Young people hesitate to apply to organisations they've never heard of and can't picture from the outside. Smaller organisations reported that recruitment only started working once they'd grown enough to be recognisable.
Young people who have experienced disadvantage face real stigma in disclosing their circumstances, often carry heavy existing commitments, and rarely come through standard channels. It takes trusted networks and personal connections to reach them, as opposed to broader advertising.
What we heard
Verbatim from Community of Practice members during the Awareness session.
"Recruitment is structured in a way that makes it hard to gauge skills. It isn't until the onboarding experience that we work out whether that person actually has the interest or inclination."
Community of Practice member
"The voices we need to hear are struggling in more ways, like housing insecurity. There's a stigma around disclosing, and as organisations we need to reduce that stigma."
Community of Practice member
"Being a small to medium-sized org, young people were not sure what they were stepping into.
Community of Practice member
Guiding insights
What patterns emerged across every organisation we spoke to? Hover or tap any card for the insight behind it.
Young people are more likely to quietly walk away than to push back, ask for clarification, or advocate for themselves. When a process feels unclear, intimidating, or uninviting, they assume the opportunity isn't for them.
Young people can be excited about an opportunity and still not apply because the mechanics of applying feel foreign and high-stakes. Hidden requirements such as CVs, formal language, and unstated expectations can lead to self-exclusion.
Vague role descriptions, unclear timelines, and unpredictable processes create a fear of the unknown. Transparency builds the confidence young people need to picture themselves in the role and take the first step.
Young people with lived experience of exclusion need more than a well-written description to believe a role is for them. Who runs the process, sits on the panel, and already holds the role speaks louder than anything written in the ad.
The way an organisation communicates during recruitment tells young people more than the role description does. For those who have been assessed, dismissed, or overlooked by institutions, the first contact is an invitation or a warning.
Young people don't lose interest in opportunities — they lose trust in organisations that go quiet. Gaps in communication create space for self-doubt to fill and can be enough to lose someone who was genuinely interested.
Australian Spatial Analytics
BRISBANE // FORTITUDE VALLEY
This case study is part of the Youth Engagement Playbook. Download the full playbook to explore all six stages of youth engagement and take the self-assess
When traditional recruitment excludes talent, Australian Spatial Analytics (ASA) redesigned the system. Since 2020, ASA has created geospatial and digital engineering careers for more than 200 young neurodivergent people — a group that faces unemployment rates of up to 34%. Today, ASA employs over 60 people, with around 80% identifying as neurodivergent, primarily autistic.
ASA’s journey begins with sharing roles that include Easy Read job descriptions, simple language, and focus on transferable skills, attitude, and aptitude rather than formal qualifications. Candidates receive “day in the life” overviews, and can watch short videos, to clearly understand the workplace, daily tasks, and culture. This makes it easier for candidates to assess if the role is right for them and reduces anxiety about applying.
Before interviews, candidates receive questions 48 hours in advance. Interviews explore their activities, interests, and support needs, rather than only standard competency-based questions. The interview panel include current employees, creating a supportive, peer-based environment, and assistive technology is provided when required. This approach allows candidates to focus on demonstrating their strengths in a psychologically safe setting.
After interviews, communication is clear and timely. Candidates are informed of immediate hiring decisions or waitlist status. They are provided with clear next steps and optional Q&A sessions. This ensures candidates feel respected and supported throughout the recruitment process.
ASA’s recruitment approach demonstrates that accessible, structured, and supportive recruitment do not lower standards. By removing hidden requirements, they ensure young neurodivergent people can participate, succeed, and thrive in meaningful careers.
Where do you stand on Recruitment?
Now it's your turn. Take an honest look at how your organisation is doing on [stage]. Rate each statement from one to five, and you'll see exactly where to start."
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