🎙️ Empowering Youth, Not Exploiting Them: Our Message on MONEY FM 89.3

At Make The Change, we’ve always believed in building a future where young people thrive through dignity, learning, and purpose-driven opportunities.

So when we were invited to speak on Money FM 89.3’s Industry Insight with Lynlee Foo, we were deeply honored. The topic? A growing concern in the creative industry—unpaid internships and hustle culture.

“Internships should empower, not exploit.” – Pedro Aguirre on Money FM 89.3

Too often, youth eager to break into creative industries are told they need to prove themselves through exposure, unpaid work, or by taking on one internship after another. But this culture is hurting the very pipeline the industry depends on.

The Real Cost of “Exposure”

Many students—even those in secondary school—are entering a cycle of unpaid internships in hopes of building their portfolios. This “stacking” mentality contributes to:

• Burnout and disillusionment

• Lack of real mentorship

• Financial strain and inequality of access

• A devaluation of creativity and innovation

What Make The Change Is Doing Differently

At Make The Change, we’re flipping this narrative:

✅ We offer fair internships that value young people’s time and skills

✅ We provide industry-relevant training in creative media, social innovation, and EdTech

✅ We champion purpose-driven work—equipping youth to design for good and make real impact

✅ We advocate for inclusive, ethical opportunities across all our partners and clients

A Call to the Industry

This isn’t just a youth problem—it’s an industry problem. If we want creative talent to flourish, we need to invest in young people with responsibility, equity, and support.

💬 Join the Movement

We’re calling on educators, businesses, and social enterprises to work with us to build a better system. If you’re ready to empower the next generation ethically and meaningfully:

👉 Contact Us to Collaborate

Together, let’s make the change.