Alexander Goode

I’ve always been driven by the belief that young people deserve more than just “a chance.” They deserve access, support, and respect, not just as future leaders, but as powerful contributors in the present.

Through my studies in law and my broader professional experience, I’ve seen how easily systems can overlook young people’s talent, especially when access to professional networks, capital, or mentorship is uneven. Too often, the narrative around early-career opportunities treats certain roles as "stepping stones" framing them as less legitimate, less skilled, or less worthy of recognition. But this mindset doesn’t just harm individuals; it actively reinforces inequity. Work is work. Contribution is contribution. There is no such thing as a "practice job."

That’s why I was drawn to Opportune.

The Opportune Foundation is a youth-led, volunteer-driven initiative, and that’s not just a tagline. It’s a structural commitment. Every element of this platform is designed by and for young people who understand firsthand what it means to navigate opaque systems, unpaid labour expectations, and exclusion masked as “experience-building.” We don’t see opportunity as a favour we see it as a right.

As Chief Operating Officer, I’m proud to lead the design and delivery of our internal operations and ensure that the foundation we’re building is both ethical and ambitious. I oversee the moving parts that allow Opportune to function at scale, from curating high-value opportunities and coordinating our volunteer team, to maintaining the integrity of our systems as we grow.

But more than that, I’m here to protect the why behind this work: ensuring that young people, especially those from regional, underrepresented, and marginalised backgrounds, don’t have to “know someone” to get ahead. That they aren’t forced into unpaid roles to prove their worth. That they don’t have to shrink themselves just to be included.

At Opportune, we don’t believe in hustle culture. We believe in infrastructure. We’re building something sustainable, collaborative, and unapologetically youth-led. And I’m honoured to be part of that mission, not just operationally, but ideologically.

If you’re a young person navigating all the noise, I want you to know this: you don’t need to become someone else to succeed. You just need systems that see your value. We’re building those systems. And we’re just getting started.