Celebrating Ikram Mahamed: 2026 Youth Leadership Award winner
“They’re already shaping Victoria’s future.” From CMY volunteer to youth leader, Ikram Mahamed shares why creating opportunities for multicultural young people is personal, and how encouragement and representation can change lives.
From volunteer to Youth Leadership award winner
I was shocked when I won the Victorian Multicultural Youth Leadership Award. I was in the middle of work when I got the call, and I honestly couldn’t believe it.
I felt honoured CMY nominated me. I’ve been here for around four years. I started as a volunteer, did my traineeship, and moved into my role as a Project Officer. To be recognised by the organisation that has been part of my journey meant so much.
I’ve been able to support so many young people through one of the hardest transitions in life, from high school to uni or early adulthood. Hearing the news made me stop and reflect. It was a really beautiful feeling.
Turning lived experience into opportunity
What drives me is that I’ve lived it. Growing up, I found it really hard to know where to go, how to get support, and how to move towards where I wanted to be. As a first-generation Somali Australian, I didn’t always have the foundation that others may have had.
Ikram, Project Officer for CMY
Volunteering gave me my foot in the door, and the internships led me to connect with people and explore opportunities. That experience pushed me to make sure young people coming behind me don’t go through the same thing. I want them to have a strong foundation and connect with volunteering, internships and jobs, so they can build their careers and their lives.
But for me, it’s not only about opportunities. What helps young people reach their potential is knowing there are people in their corner and having a reference they can rely on when they step into something new. Things that might seem tiny can shift someone’s life and change the trajectory of everything.
Opening doors for the next generation
One example that comes to mind is a young person named Binusha. I met her at an event where I was a panellist. She had finished high school and was looking for opportunities to build her skills, so I encouraged her to apply for CMY’s Metro Youth Advisory Group.
Over the next two years I watched her grow into such a confident, outstanding young woman. She now has extensive experience in her field, has moved into other volunteering and paid opportunities, and recently won an all-rounder award from the City of Melton. Binusha was also a finalist in this year’s Multicultural Youth Awards.
Binusha is just one of the many amazing young people I’ve had the privilege of working with through the Metro YAG. I think of Mamuch from Next Gen Unite, who is developing young leaders in the South Sudanese community. Aayushi, who created Body Buddies to empower people with the knowledge and confidence to care for their health. And Shiao, who created Wombat Collective to support international students.
Why young multicultural voices matter
For me, it comes down to the fact that Victoria is one of the most multicultural places there is. Over 49% of Victorians were either born overseas or have at least one parent who was. When I think about who should be shaping the decisions that affect us, it’s critical that multicultural young people are part of it.
Ikram, Project Officer for CMY
It doesn’t make sense to me that the institutions and spaces making and approving policies about our lives would treat our voices as an afterthought.
I also know that young multicultural people can be underestimated. I think it’s up to all of us to change that by creating spaces for them to come in, build their capacity, and feel confident that their thoughts, ideas, lived experiences and suggestions are just as valid as anyone else’s.
When conversations about migration and belonging get heated, I think young people often end up being talked about rather than listened to. They become a statistic or a headline, when they’re individuals with their own ideas, ambitions and lived experiences.
Ikram, Project Officer for CMY
What we need to better understand is that multicultural young people are not waiting to contribute to Victoria’s future. They’re already doing it. I see it in the young leaders I’ve worked with, who are building organisations, supporting their communities and creating opportunities for others.
We need to make room for them, listen to what they have to say, and see them for who they are. When we do, I think Victoria gets a stronger, more connected future, and young people get to feel what belonging really is.
Building a future where every young person belongs
What excites me most is the ripple effect. The young people we’re supporting now are the ones who will be opening doors for others, and I can that happening already.
I’m also really excited to see where Culture Spring heads in 2027. It’s been kicking goals this year, with trainings, roundtables, workshops and reports.
In the years to come, I’d love to see the kind of support I needed growing up become the norm rather than the exception. It shouldn’t depend on who you happen to meet or whether someone takes a chance on you. It should be built into how our schools, workplaces and organisations work.
If we get that right, I think the next generation won’t just be finding their way into Victoria’s future. They’ll be leading it and bringing others along with them.