Mental health remains the top concern for young people in Australia for the third year in a row but the environment is also increasingly a major issue for them, according to Mission Australia’s latest annual youth survey.
The survey, which was completed by 25,126 people aged 15-to-19-years-old, found that 36.2 per cent of respondants indicated mental health was an important issue in Australia today – up from just 21.6 per cent in 2016. The environment was also a major concern with 34.2 per cent indicating it was an important issue, up from just 9.2 per cent in 2018, while 24.8 per cent said equity and discrimination was an important national issue.
GRAPHICS: Courtesy of Mission Australia
Meanwhile, asked for the first time questions about whether they feel they are being heard, just 7.2 per cent indicated they felt they had a voice all of the time in piublic affairs while 52.4 per cent felt they had never had a voice in public affairs.
James Toomey, CEO of Mission Australia said the results clearly indicated young people in Australia “feel disenfranchised and are deeply concerned about a range of important issues”.
“It’s vital that all young people have opportunities and forums available to them so they can speak up and shape public matters and policy,” he said. “Young people’s concerns must be considered when forming policies that affect their lives and futures. Young people must be part of the design of programs or services for young people. They are, after all, the experts in what it is to be a young person in Australia today.”
Other findings from the survey show that coping with stress was the top personal concern with 44.7 per cent of respondents indicating it mattered to them, followed by school or study problems (34.3 per cent) and mental health (33.2 per cent). Thirty-one per cent indicated they were either extremely or very concerned about body image, 25.1 per cent about physical health, 18.2 per cent about family conflict and 17.8 per cent about financial security.
Just one in five – 21 per cent – reported that they had experienced bullying in the previous 12 months with 79.9 per cent of them indicating it took place at a school or TAFE or university and 34 per cent indicating it took place online or on social media. Of those who reported bullying, 71.3 per cent reported experiencing verbal bullying, such as name calling or teasing, and 61.2 pr cent reported experiencing social bullying – described as being the subject of rumours, being embarassed or excluded.
Overall, 60.7 per cent of those surveyed indicated they felt happy or very happy with their lives with a slightly greater percentage of males – 66.6 per cent – than females – 57.6 per cent – indicating this was the case. Some 58.3 per cent indicated they felt “positive” or “very positive” about the future.
Toomey said the survey showed it was clear there was “urgent need” for better investment in programs and initiatives that promote mental health and wellbeing and combat bullying but added that it was pleasing to see so many young people reporting a positive and optimistic outlook.
“But we can also see that young people are asking for change. We owe it to young people to take action. We must stand alongside them to advocate for the changes they want to see, provide opportunities to have a say and better support them with the services they need as they transition to adulthood.”
