Mission Australia releases new report: 'Insights into the concerns of young Australians'

'Insights into the concerns of young Australians: Making sense of the numbers' is a new report released today by Mission Australia's Research & Social Policy unit.

In 2009 Mission Australia conducted its eighth annual National Survey of Young Australians, the largest of it's kind in Australia.

The survey asked young people aged 11 to 24 years about what they value, their concerns, where they go for advice and support and who they admire.

The new report sheds light on what the 48,000 young Australians surveyed are most concerned about.  To provide a snapshot, these issues were provided by respondents as their greatest concern:

• Drugs (26.8% of respondents)
• Suicide (26.3%)
• Body image (25.5%)
• Family conflict (24.1%)
• Bullying/emotional abuse (23.4%)
• Alcohol (23.0%)
• Physical/sexual abuse (22.7%)
• Personal safety (22.2%)
• Coping with stress (18.7%)
• Depression (18.7%)
• School or study problems (17.3%)
• The environment (16.7%)
• Self harm (13.3%)
• Discrimination (11.7%)
• Sexuality - relationships, health, identity (11.4%)

The new report helps to 'make sense of the numbers' and delves into analysis of these key concerns.

Click here to view the report online or download a PDF version from this link

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The 2010 National Survey of Young Australians has almost come to a close.  Northern Territorians are still able to have their say until the 30th July - Click here to participate in the 2010 survey

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Media Release: Action needed to reduce problem gambling

Mission Australia, one of the nations leading community service charities, has called on the State and Federal Governments to swiftly implement the recommendations of the Productivity Commission's Report into Gambling released on Wednesday, to reduce the impact of problem gambling on Australians.

“Mission Australia sees the human face of problem gambling in our services every single day,” said Toby Hall, Mission Australia CEO.

“Problem gambling causes not only financial crisis and bankruptcy, it contributes to family and relationship breakdown, homelessness, depression and even suicide.

“We would like to see practical measures like $1 bet limits on poker machines and mandatory shutdown times in gaming venues quickly put in place. This will help reduce the number of people with a gambling problem and reduce the impact on those already struggling to cope with their addiction.

“We urge governments at all levels to implement the Productivity Commission recommendations to reduce problem gambling as soon as practically possible.”

Mr Hall welcomed the news that the federal government has indicated it will support further harm minimisation programs for poker machines, but said it was disappointing there has been no commitment or time frame to implement the recommendations.

With poker machines accounting for 75-80 percent of problem gamblers, the Commission was right focus on further restrictions on poker machines, Mr Hall said.

“Poker machines are far and away the most prolific form of gambling by the clients of our gambling counselling services,” said Mr Hall

“We can not tackle problem gambling without looking at further restrictions on poker machines.”

“According to the Commission’s own figures, around 40 percent of the revenue from poker machines comes directly from problem gamblers.

“We can not continue to base such a large chunk of a sector’s revenue on taking money from people with an addiction”.

Mr Hall said that the measures outlined in the report that should be quickly implemented include:

• Lowering bet limits on poker machines to one dollar per button push (equating to losses of around $120 an hour as opposed to the current level of up to $1500) as well as setting limits on how much can be put in a machine at any one time. 
• Mandatory shutdown times for gaming rooms in hotels and clubs, as there is ample evidence that this is when high-risk gamblers are more likely to gamble and they are also often likely to be under the influence of alcohol.
• Removing ATMs from gaming areas. This is regularly cited by problem gamblers as something which would assist them to manage their gambling as it forces them to take a time out and leave the area. This is already being put in place in some jurisdictions.
• Additional funding for further gambling counselling services and improved training and education for counsellors.

Media contact:  Patrick Flynn ph. 0407 411 256

The spectre of drugs looms large with teens

But young people are well balanced and have a diverse range of views, writes CEO Toby Hall.

How well do you know your children?

How often do you try to talk to the teenager in your house about some of the big issues - drugs, body image, suicide - and receive a roll of the eyes and a quick brush-off?

Mission Australia began conducting a national survey of young people eight years ago to help bridge the gulf that can exist between parents and their adolescent kids around these concerns.

It's now developed into the country's biggest annual poll of young Australians providing a unique snapshot of their mindset - their concerns, who they turn to for advice, what they value and who they admire-on a massive scale.

Close to 48,000 young people, aged between 11 and 24, took part in this year's survey, including 2300 indigenous respondents, 6800 who spoke a language other than English at home and more than 1000 who were either in custody, homeless or in foster care.

It was an extraordinary crosssection. This year's results show that while young Australians are facing a range of serious issues, when it comes to their priorities and values they are also incredibly well-balanced and have a diverse range ofviews.

But, as it does every year, our survey uncovered information that should make us, as parents and as a community, sit up and take notice.

When asked to rank their concern about 15 issues, drugs were ranked most frequently in the top three by 26.8 per cent of respondents, closely followed by suicide at 26.3 per cent and body image at 25.5 per cent. Drugs were also the primary concern for 11-to 14-year-olds, with 31 per cent including it in their top three - almost twice the proportion of 20- to 24-year-olds.

So what do the results mean? First, our survey suggests that 11- to 14-year-olds don't feel equipped to deal with the issue of drugs. They not only have a significant level of personal concern about the issue, they are worried about the impact of drugs on friends, families and their community.

Let's be clear-this concern doesn't equate to drug use- only around 5 per cent of 11- to 14-yearolds use drugs.

But what it does show is that while campaigns have raised anxiety among our teens about the dangers of drugs, they haven't done enough to educate young teens on how to handle peer pressure about the issue.

Drug-education campaigns need to be changed so they strengthen young people and give them the skills to respond appropriately if drugs enter their lives or the lives of friends and family.

In terms of body image, the issue is less a personal concern and more a worry related to the unrealistic portrayal of "the perfect body" in themedia and elsewhere. But the action taken by governments, welfare groups and youth agencies to address negative body image over the past few years appears to be having an impact.

In 2007, more than 32 per cent of participants had body image top of mind compared to 25.5 this year- so concern is on the decline.

As for suicide, it's not surprising to see young people so highly concerned. Many Australian families, schools and communities have been touched in some way by suicide. It has a deep impact on young people. But we need to be clear that this is not about young people themselves considering self-harm, it's an expression of concern for friends and family who may be going through tough times.

Because we know young people go to their friends, parents and other family members first when under pressure, the key is to make sure we invest in support that assist these groups so they have the skills to help young people.

This includes peer-to-peer education and programs targeted at family members. One of the significant results this year has been the decline in the number of young people involved in extra-curricular activities. The number of young people involved in an arts or cultural activity -such as drama, music or dance - has almost halved since the 2008 survey, from 44 per cent down to 23.4. In fact, across every single activity we surveyed, participation was down.

What these figures suggest is that when the global financial crisis hit some families and young people opted to spend less on things such as dance or piano lessons or tickets to the football.

The final take-out of this year's survey is that, overall, young Australians are well-placed to tackle the issues affecting their transition from youth to adulthood. But parents and the broader community, need to be aware of the problems facing our kids - and their deeper implications - so we can make their passage easier.

Toby Hall is chief executive officer of Mission Australia.

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To view all Youth Survey reports for 2009 please visit our website:  www.missionaustralia.com.au/
youthsurvey


For previous year's reports please click here:
www.missionaustralia.com.au/document-downloads/cat_view/67-national-survey-of-young-australians-2005-2008

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Drugs, suicide and body image - the issues of most concern to young Australians

Australia’s largest annual survey of young people has found that drugs, suicide and body image are the biggest worries for 11-24 year olds with one-in-four regarding each as major concerns.

The survey has also uncovered many 11-14 year olds feel unequipped to deal with the issue of drugs...

The national survey, conducted by Mission Australia, tested the views of close to 48,000 young people – its biggest group since the survey began in 2002 – between the ages of 11-24 (97.9 per cent aged 11-19).

When asked to rank their concern about 15 issues drugs was ranked most frequently in the top three by 26.8 per cent of respondents, closely followed by suicide at 26.3 per cent and body image at 25.5 per cent.

However, the concerns of respondents in this year’s poll were very evenly spread with eight of the 15 isssues surveyed considered a priority to at least one in five respondents.

The survey also detected decreases across all activities involving young people – particularly arts/cultural activities, and to a lesser extent, spectator sports and youth groups – which the charity suggests is an impact of the global financial crisis on Australian families over the past 12 months.

Mission Australia’s spokesperson, Anne Hampshire, said this year’s survey detected important differences between age groups and gender on some concerns.

Drugs was the primary concern for 11-14 year olds with 31 per cent including it in their top three – almost twice the proportion of 20-24 year olds.

For 15-19 year olds, body image was the major issue at 27.4 per cent, while for 20-24 year olds depression (30.5) and coping with stress (30.2) were at the top of the list.

For girls and young women, physical/sexual abuse topped the list of concerns with 27.5 per cent considering it a top three issue – compared to only 17 per cent of boys. Conversely, alcohol was the second biggest worry for young males at 27.6 per cent while only 19 per cent of girls considered it the same.

“Our survey suggests that 11-14 year old Australians don’t feel equipped to deal with the issue of drugs,” said Ms Hampshire.

“They not only have a significant level of personal concern about the issue but are also worried about the impact of drugs on friends, families and their community.

“This concern doesn’t equate to drug usage – only around 5 per cent of 11-14 year olds use drugs.

“What it does show is that while campaigns have raised anxiety among our teens about the dangers of drugs, they haven’t done enough to educate 11-14 year olds on how to handle peer pressure about the issue.

“There’s plenty of information about drugs out there, but information isn’t enough for a 12 year old. Drug education campaigns need to strengthen young people and give them the skills to respond appropriately if drugs enter their lives or the lives of friends and family.”

In terms of body image, Mission Australia’s survey has noticed the issue is less a personal concern and more a worry related to the unrealistic portrayal of ‘the perfect body’ in the media and elsewhere.

“Over the last few years we’ve seen governments, welfare groups and youth agencies tackle the issue of body image in a much more concerted fashion and from this year’s survey results we think it’s beginning to have an impact,” said Ms Hampshire.

“In 2007, just over 32 per cent of participants had body image top of mind compared to 25.5 this year.

To view the 2009 reports please visit our document downloads section: www.missionaustralia.com.au/youthsurvey