A creative space for young people

Mission Australia’s Clifton Adolescent and Family Support (CAFS) service in Sydney’s north-west is running a free creative group for young people living in the Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai and Ryde areas.

Beginning on 16 August and running every Tuesday for the following six weeks, Something Outta Space is designed to help 12 to 16-year-olds use creative tools to explore pressures like study, body image, family conflict, depression and stress - issues that our 2010 National Survey of Young Australians identified to be of concern to youth.

“The idea with Something Outta Space is that art frees you up from the inside out!” said CAFS Service Manager Nicola Hensler.

“No artistic talent is necessary, but we want local young people – or those with a connection to the area - to bring a willingness to have fun, explore and be themselves.”

The first session starts on 16 August at Level 1, 1 Coronation Street, Hornsby, and runs from 4pm to 6pm. To book please call (02) 9482 1366 and ask for our Youth Support Worker, Laura Glasby.

CAFS is an early intervention service that works holistically with young people in the city’s north-west aged who are aged from 12 to 24, as well as with their families or carers and existing services, to bring about positive change in their young lives.

Further reading:

• 'New program tackles top concern from our Youth Survey'
• Click the image below to view the Something Outta Space brochure

New program tackles top concern from our Youth Survey

The Minister for Schools, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett, today cited findings from Mission Australia’s National Survey of Young Australians to launch a positive body image program for schools.

Mr Garrett referred to results from our 2010 survey of 50,000 young Australians, which revealed body image was one of their main concerns, to announce the Respect Every Body campaign.

“We know that body image is a major concern among today’s young people, with the National Survey of Young Australians conducted each year by Mission Australia consistently finding it to be among the top issues raised by youth,” he said.

Every school in Australia will be provided with new ‘Respect Every Body’ information packs to help promote positive body image and create supportive school environments. The posters and learning resources are being distributed to schools and available online, with students, teachers and parents able to use the information to learn how to tackle the subject of poor body image and related issues.

Each school will receive posters containing vital information on creating a body image-friendly school and a website with ‘conversation starter’ activities to support discussions among students and in the wider school community.
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“We’re also providing some practical ideas on how to develop a body image-friendly school,” Mr Garrett said. “The resources are not an additional part of the curriculum, but can be incorporated into existing subjects such as health or physical education.”

The information packs are on top of the work already being carried under the Australian Government’s National Body Image Strategy, including the $400,000 Free to BE body esteem resources, developed by the Butterfly Foundation.

Mission Australia's annual Youth Survey - the largest of its kind in Australia - has been undertaken each year since 2002. Each year the survey asks young Australians aged 11 to 24 what they value, where they turn for advice and support, what issues concern them, how they are involved with their community and their feelings about their future.

The resulting reports generated from the survey are now keenly anticipated by government, community organisations, schools and the media.

The survey closed in most states on 1 July, although young people in the Northern Territory can still have their say until 29 July. The key findings from the survey will be published in November.

To find our more about our National Survey of Young Australians and read past results:  www.missionaustralia.com.au/daily-news/3302-time-is-running-out-to-have-your-say

Time is running out to have your say!

Mission Australia’s National Survey of Young Australians will draw to a close in just over two weeks time, so act now if you want to be heard.

Each year Mission Australia’s National Survey of Young Australians helps to inform government, educators and communities about the wellbeing, hopes and attitudes of teenagers and young adults.

As in recent years, in recent months we’ve had a strong response from schools, students, youth groups and individuals. Yet we still need your help if we are to gain a clear insight into the values, personal and national concerns of young Australians in 2011.

This year’s survey is asking participants to indicate their main three issues of concern, rather than ranking the whole range of issues in order of the most to least concerning. We’re also trying to find out who or where young people turn to for support to deal with specific concerns.

To have your say, complete Mission Australia’s 10th National Survey of Young Australians online at mayouthsurvey.com.au by 1 July. We’re aiming to capture the views of more than 50,000 young people aged from 11 to 24 – but we need the community’s help to make it happen.

There’s still time to order printed copies of the survey - simply contact Aimee Tyson at youthsurvey@missionaustralia.com.au or on (02) 9219 2022.

This is a fantastic opportunity for young people – particularly those too young to vote – to be heard by governments, youth agencies and community service organisations like Mission Australia.

How do young Australians view the world?

Almost a month after it was launched, more than 1,100 young people have completed Mission Australia’s 10th National Survey of Young Australians online.

Schools and educational institutions are also helping us to capture the views of young Australians. So far 40 schools have also requested 17,000 hard copies to distribute to their students. We’ve also received over 30 requests for school/organisation reports, which give an indication of what their students or local young people value, issues that concern them and their feelings about the future.

Our 2010 survey revealed that body image was one of the main concerns for young people, closely followed by family conflict and school or study issues.

This year’s survey is asking participants to indicate their main three issues of concern, rather than ranking the whole range of issues in order of the most to least concerning. We’re also trying to find out who or where young people turn to for support to deal with specific concerns.

This is a fantastic opportunity for young people – particularly those too young to vote – to be heard by governments, youth agencies and community service organisations like Mission Australia.

Mission Australia’s Research and Social Policy Unit can compile a report for any school or organisation that provides 200 or more responses. However, institutions that are in interested in receiving a unique report need to contact us before handing out the survey so we can make plans to collate your data.

If you would like multiple copies of the 2011 National Survey of Young Australians please contact Aimee Tyson at youthsurvey@missionaustralia.com.au or on (02) 9219 2022.

Mission Australia aims capture the views of more than 50,000 young people aged from 11 to 24 by 1 July 2011 – and we need the community’s help to make it happen. If you, your class, youth group or someone you know, would like to take part in the National Survey of Young Australians please visit MAYouthSurvey.com.au.

Further Reading

• The Age, 3 May 2011: Fighting the drop-out factor
• National Survey webpage
  
• Coverage of the 2010 National Survey of Young Australians

Youth Survey: a great chance to listen and learn

Mission Australia has had a fantastic early response to its 10th National Survey of Young Australians, with hundreds of young people already lodging their completed surveys online – the first of an estimated 50,000 we expect to receive by 1 July.

We’ve also had plenty of interest from peak bodies, government, not-for-profit and educational institutions keen to spread the word about the largest survey of its kind by distributing it through their networks and adding the Youth Survey link to their websites.

While any young person aged from 11 to 24 can complete the survey online, Mission Australia is also urging schools and educational institutions to get involved.

We can send out printed copies to organisations that are interested in getting a “temperature check” on what young people value, their issues of concern, who they go to for advice and support, what activities they are involved in and how they feel about the future.

Our 2010 survey revealed that body image was one of the main concerns for young people, closely followed by family conflict and school or study issues. Yesterday youth in Geraldton, WA, provided 720 ABC Perth with a taste of what the big issues for 2011 might be - listen to it here.

Mission Australia can also arrange to compile a tailored report for any school or organisation that provides 200 or more responses. These reports, which will be available later in 2011, contain valuable local data that can help them to plan future activities.

However, schools or organisations that are in interested in receiving a unique report on the concerns, values and thoughts of local young people need to contact us before handing out the survey so we can make plans to collate your data.

If you would like multiple copies of the 2011 National Survey of Young Australians please contact Aimee Tyson at youthsurvey@missionaustralia.com.au or on (02) 9219 2022.

To complete our online survey or find out more, visit MAYouthSurvey.com.au

Media Release: Youth of Australia wanted for national survey

National Youth Week – 1-10 April

To coincide with National Youth Week, Mission Australia is calling on young people to help highlight important issues in their lives by having their say in the charity’s 2011 National Survey of Young Australians – the nation’s largest annual report on the views, concerns and values of young people between the ages of 11-24.

In launching the 2011 survey, Mission Australia’s CEO, Toby Hall, said it gave young people a voice across a range of issues with the information being used to help community groups and governments plan and develop youth services.

“Mission Australia’s annual youth survey is a ‘temperature check’ on what young people are feeling, what issues concern them, what they think are the main challenges facing the nation and how optimistic they are about the future,” said Mr Hall.

“Responses to the survey help governments, youth agencies and ourselves improve and develop programs and strategies that are shaped by the voices of young people themselves.”

Last year’s survey tested the views of more than 50,000 young people – its biggest group since the survey began in 2002 – between the ages of 11-24 (98 per cent aged 11-19).

When asked to rank their personal concerns from 15 issues body image was ranked most frequently in the top three by 31.1 per cent of respondents, followed by family conflict at 27.8 per cent and coping with stress at 27.3 per cent.

Body image was the leading issue of concern for 11-14 and 15-19 year olds and for females. Almost one-in-two 20-24 year olds considered it a major concern.

“Young people’s concerns can be quite volatile – moving around from year to year – and they differ between age groups so it’s important we conduct this survey annually, with as many participants as possible, to obtain an accurate picture.

“The range of concerns – from stress to depression, suicide and body image – also suggest young people are facing increased challenges as they make the transition from adolescence to adulthood,” said Mr Hall.

Mission Australia’s 2011 National Survey of Young Australians can be completed online at www.mayouthsurvey.com.au. It is also available at all Mission Australia services, secondary schools, TAFE facilities and libraries nationwide.

The survey closes on Friday, 1 July with the results to be published later in the year.

Further Reading

• National Survey webpage
  
• Coverage of the 2010 National Survey of Young Australians

National Survey of Young Australians 2010

Mission Australia’s annual survey of young Australians aged 11 to 24 continued to draw plenty of attention a week after its official launch - including from readers of The Daily Telegraph online.

To help promote this year’s National Survey of Young Australians 2010, Mission Australia and Leo Burnett Sydney developed a clever online advertising campaign that challenged widely held perceptions of young people.

Titled ‘You're Probably Wrong’, the online ad consisted of a short multiple-choice test on an interactive microsite that highlight some of the more surprising finds about the values and issues of the Australian youth. You can take the test at youreprobablywrong.com.au

The survey was also covered across Australian media, including...

• Sarrah Le Marquand, Daily Telegraph:  'Aussie teens stressed about stress'
• Jacqui Jones, Newcastle Herald: 'Survey highlights what young Australians want'
• Tory Maguire, The Punch: 'Which comes first, a problem or its definition' 
• Steve Lillebuen, SMH: 'Youth body image concerns worsen: study'
• MA VIC State Director Paul Bird, The Punch:
  'Fear of violence is killing Victorian culture'.
• Mia Freedman, MammaMia:
  'The #1 concern for young people is body image. And stress'. 
• ABC TV, News: View at this link. 
• ABC Radio, The World Today: 'Young Australians feeling more stressed'
• Mission Australia news: Read on at this link

Future looks bright despite body shape - MA CEO on national youth survey findings

There's no doubt young Australians get a bad rap today. Countless commentators - and some parents too I suspect - complain about their lack of values, their slavish devotion to the latest fad or gadget and their inability to commit.

Wrong. All wrong.

Mission Australia's latest national youth survey - at more than 50,000 participants, including many from the Hunter, the biggest annual stocktake of young people in the country - is evidence that our youth are well-adjusted, have a strong set of values and place enormous importance on family relationships.

And apart from shouldering a range of serious concerns - both personal and for the nation - young Australians are overwhelmingly positive about the future.

Our survey flies in the face of popular stereotypes of Generation Y as shallow and materialistic. But it's not all good news. This year's survey has also uncovered some serious issues we, as a community, need to address.

Once again, body image is the leading personal concern for young people - in the Hunter and around the country - while at the same time they're wrestling with stress and school/study worries at far greater levels than in recent years.

When asked to rank their personal concerns from 15 issues, body image was ranked most frequently in the top three by one-in-three respondents.

It was the leading issue of concern for groups aged 11 to 14, and 15 to 19, and for females. Almost half of those aged 20 to 24 considered it a major concern. And it's not just "a female thing"- for young males body image was the second highest concern behind alcohol.

Meanwhile, young people's concern about stress jumped close to 10 per cent from last year's survey - a worrying trend.

So while young Australians are well-balanced, there's a serious and rising vein of discomfort about themselves and some of the influences around them.

In terms of body image, the results tell us that despite governments, welfare groups and youth agencies moving to tackle the issue more earnestly, there's still a lot of work to do - particularly among young adults.

Recent developments such as the Voluntary Industry Code of Conduct on Body Image also seem to have failed to convince media and the fashion industry to be more responsible.

One thing we need to do is develop young people's "media literacy", so that when they look at a magazine and see models with unachievable body perfection, they know the image has been altered.

As for stress, the level of concern picked up in our survey suggests the merit in a broader discussion about the nature and sources of stress among young people and how we can alleviate it.

Many young people indicated they wanted to better manage their competing demands, noting the potential negative consequences of not doing so, including a range of mental health issues.

We need to better equip young people, including in early adolescence, with the practical strategies to help them deal with stress.

Because we know young people go to their friends, parents and other family members first when under pressure, we must invest in supports that assist these groups so they have the skills to help. This includes peer-to-peer education and programs targeted at family members.

One constant since beginning our survey in 2002 has been young people worrying about bullying. While other issues tend to jump around, bullying has remained steady with a quarter of young people considering it a leading concern.

Young people don't make a distinction between physical bullying or cyber-bullying via online or SMS - any bullying is an issue to them and their peers because they see the consequences of it in terms of self-harm, depression and poor mental health.

Anti-bullying strategies need to stay ahead of the game in terms of technological developments that can be used and adapted to intimidate and attack others.

They also need to target the bully and the bullied-both sides reflecting a need for support and guidance.

But let me end as I began, on a positive note. For the first time this year we asked participants how they felt about the future. The answer was resoundingly optimistic.

Two-thirds were either positive or very positive about the future; only about 9 per cent were negative.

Despite the challenges, our future is in good hands - in the Hunter and around the country.

Latest news about youth survey findings...

• Tory Maguire, The Punch: 'Which comes first, a problem or its definition' 
• MA VIC State Director Paul Bird, The Punch:
  'Fear of violence is killing Victorian culture'.
• Mia Freedman, MammaMia:
  'The #1 concern for young people is body image. And stress'. 
• ABC TV, News: View at this link. 
• ABC Radio, The World Today: 'Young Australians feeling more stressed'
• Mission Australia news: Read on at this link

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Toby Hall is the Chief Executive Officer of Mission Australia.

This piece was published in the Newcastle Herald on 19th November 2010

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National Survey of Young Australians 2010 – what they’re saying

Mission Australia’s annual national survey, which tested the views of more than 50,000 young people, has once again sparked discussion.

One of the results from this year’s survey is the level to which young Victorians are concerned about crime, safety and violence above their interstate peers.

Thirty-two per cent of young Victorian respondents see crime, safety and violence as one of our country’s biggest issues, compared to 21 per cent nationally.

Mission Australia’s State Director - Victoria, Paul Bird, explored these findings in an opinion piece for The Punch. You can read his piece, 'Fear of violence is killing Victorian culture', here.

Mia Freedman was alarmed that body image continues to be a major concern for young Australians. “Never before have young people been so bombarded by fake images of digitally altered ‘perfection’. Is it any wonder they look in the mirror and feel bad about themselves?” she wrote on her Mama Mia blog, click here to read on.

ABC TV news last night also focused on body image, and that youth are reporting to be under increased stress levels since previous surveys, click here to view the full story.

Mission Australia releases new report: the ninth annual ‘National Survey of Young Australians’

The ‘National Survey of Young Australians 2010: key and emerging themes’ is the ninth consecutive annual youth survey report released by our Research and Social Policy team.

Download or view the full report from this link

The survey is the largest of its kind in Australia and in 2010 received over 50,000 responses from young people across the country. Respondents came from diverse communities across each state and territory.

The survey asks young Australians aged 11 to 24 about what they value, their issues of personal concern, where they turn for advice and support and their community involvement. Two new questions were included this year, regarding the most important issues facing Australia today and feelings about the future.

As in previous years, there was a great deal of consistency around what young people value and where they go for advice and support, in each case namely their family and friends.

A more complex picture has emerged from the data around young people’s issues of concern. Nationally, body image, family conflict and coping with stress were the top three issues for respondents, with over a quarter identifying each as being a major concern. However, a number of issues were of concern to a substantial proportion of respondents and in 2010 there was no one ‘standout’ issue.

The unprompted responses to the question regarding what young people thought were the most important issues facing Australia today were a little clearer, with the environment and alcohol and drugs being the top two concerns across all ages, both genders, indigenous participants, and across all States and Territories.

An encouraging finding from the youth survey was the responses to one of our new questions, feelings about the future, with approximately two thirds of young people feeling either very positive or positive about the future.

The survey report contains summaries at the national level as well as for each state and territory. There is also a chapter that compares responses from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal respondents. Each of the chapters contains a breakdown of the key data by age and gender.

For further information, or to order copies of the report (free of charge), please contact Aimee Tyson on (02) 9219 2022 or tysona@missionaustralia.com.au.

Media Release: Body image and environment of greatest concern to young Australians

Body image is the leading personal concern for young Australians while close to one-in-two list the environment as the most important issue facing the nation according to the country's largest annual survey of young people.

The survey also shows that young Australians are wrestling with stress and school/study worries at far greater levels than in recent years.

Download or view the full report from this link

The national survey, conducted by Mission Australia, tested the views of more than 50,000 young people - its biggest group since the survey began in 2002 - between the ages of 11-24 (98 per cent aged 11-19). In addition to their concerns it surveys what young people value, who they turn to for advice, what activities they engage in and how they feel about the future.

When asked to rank their personal concerns from 15 issues body image was ranked most frequently in the top three by 31.1 per cent of respondents, followed by family conflict at 27.8 per cent and coping with stress at 27.3 per cent.

Body image was the leading issue of concern for 11-14 and 15-19 year olds and for females. Almost one-in-two 20-24 year olds considered it a major concern. For young males, body image was the second highest concern behind alcohol - 27.4 per cent to 28.5 per cent.

Coping with stress (18.7 per cent in 2009 - 27.3 per cent in 2010) and school or study problems (17.3 per cent in 2009 - 25.5 per cent in 2010) experienced the greatest increases in concern from last year's survey.

For the first time the survey asked young people for their unprompted views on the most important issues facing Australia.

Heading the responses was environment with 45.7 per cent ranking it as a 'top three' issue followed by alcohol and drugs (37.1 per cent) and crime, safety and violence (21.0 per cent). Environment was the major issue for all age groups and for both males and females.

Mission Australia's spokesperson, Anne Hampshire, said concern about body image was evenly split between young people worried about their personal appearance and the unrealistic portrayal of 'the perfect body' in the media and elsewhere.

"What came through strongly in responses was that young people are worried both about their personal body image and about how the media continues to promote a level of physical perfection that is neither healthy nor achievable. It places an enormous amount of pressure on young people," said Ms Hampshire.

"I think it tells us that despite the fact that governments, welfare groups and youth agencies have moved to tackle the issue of poor body image in recent years, there's still a lot of work to do - particularly among young adults where we saw the biggest jump in concern.

"In terms of young people nominating the environment as the most important issue facing the country it's clear from their responses they believe urgent action is required on a number of fronts.

"Young people are particularly keen for government leadership as well as a broad community response to the issue. They want Australians of all ages - including themselves - and backgrounds to take personal responsibility for their behaviour and lifestyle and how they impact on the environment.

"What's important to note with this question is that we gave respondents a clean slate.

"We didn't ask them to rank the issues - as we do with personal concerns - and that speaks volumes for the fact that almost one-in-two respondents identified the environment as the main issue facing Australia."

Ms Hampshire said increased concerns about coping with stress and school/study problems reflected the importance of equipping young people with the ability to deal with life pressures.

"We often forget the range of competing demands and pressures juggled by young people - relationships, education, employment, the expectations of parents, peers, schools, the wider community as well as themselves," said Ms Hampshire.

"This can be a very stressful time and our results bear that out. Many young people indicated they wanted to be able to manage their stress better, noting the potential negative consequences of not doing so, including a range of mental health issues.

"We need to better equip young people, including in early adolescence, with the practical strategies to help them deal with stress. The level of concern picked up in our survey suggests the merit in a broader discussion about the nature and sources of stress among young people and how we can alleviate it."

Ms Hampshire said participants clearly distinguished between matters of personal importance and those they considered national issues.

"For example, while body image was the leading personal concern, only 2.2 per cent of respondents featured it as an important issue facing Australia.

"At the same time participants saw alcohol and drugs both as significant personal concerns and as leading issues facing the nation.

"That's because, as a personal concern, they are worried about the impact of drugs and alcohol on family and friends and not having the skills to deal with the issue.

"In terms of national importance they see the impact alcohol and drugs have on the broader community. That's partly why crime, safety and violence was also a major issue of national importance - respondents often linking these issues to alcohol which we believe increases the urgency for action in this area."

One of the significant results in the 2010 survey was a reversal in 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 -almost halved between the 2008 and 2009 surveys. In fact, across every single activity we surveyed participation in extra-curricular pursuits decreased in 2009.

"We put this down to how, 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.

"This year, activity results have bounced back to 2008 levels and above which I think reflects some confidence in the strength of the local economy."

Ms Hampshire said despite the fact young people were shouldering a diverse range of serious concerns - often from a tender age - the survey had detected a significant level of optimism in the future.

"For the first time this year we asked participants to tell us how they felt about the future. The answer was resoundingly optimistic. Two-thirds were positive about the future while only around 9 per cent were negative. The remaining 27 per cent were neither.

"Young Australians are also incredibly grounded. When asked what they value, financial security lags way behind family and friends - that's very encouraging," said Ms Hampshire.

Download or view the full report from this link

Media contacts:

• Paul Andrews (02) 9219 2080 or 0409 665 495
• Patrick Flynn (02) 9641 5031 or 0407 411 256

Building positive relationships through art

Five young women from the north and north eastern suburbs of Adelaide have celebrated the value of positive relationships by exhibiting a collaborative artwork at the John Harvey Gallery in Salisbury.

The girls met through Graphic Cuisine, a group formed for young women who have had experienced anxiety. Over the course of 10 weeks they attended afternoon art and cooking sessions that were delivered and supported by their case managers.

The girls worked with a local professional artist, Carly Didcote, who provided them with the skills and techniques to create a range of art pieces - from painted canvases to paperweights.

During the cooking sessions, the girls researched recipes, and worked co-operatively to prepare the food. The girls then re-created each dish to serve at their final celebration.

These sessions also created an opportunity for Mission Australia to develop a partnership with the Northern Sound System youth centre, which provided access to their kitchen facilities.

“Mission Australia was approached by Salisbury Youth Council, who asked if we had a group of young people would like to participate in the 'Positive Relationships. Positive Mental Health’ art exhibition,” said Amanda Grzyb, Acting Team Leader for Mission Australia Learning Unlimited in Elizabeth.

“We felt the girls would be the ideal candidates as the topic was relevant to them and they had formed a positive working group. During the final celebration session of the program, the girls worked together on a 'positive relationship' canvas.

“This project has seen a number of the girls’ confidence grow and for a couple of them this is the first program they had engaged in for a long period of time. We are hopeful it will be a stepping stone into engaging in further learning opportunities.”

The Salisbury exhibition included presentations from various local youth programs. At the launch representatives from each group gave a presentation on their artwork, how the group came up with the idea and its meaning.

The Graphic Cuisine piece will remain on display in the gallery throughout November.

Above photo (from left): Kellie, Samone, Kelsey, Carly, Inge, Jess and Genelle. Absent: Paige.

To learn more about the views and challenges experienced by young Australians, read Mission Australia’s 2010 National Survey of Young Australians, which will be launched on Wednesday 17 November.

Media Release: Survey reveals stark difference in outlook between homeless and non-homeless youth

Homeless young Australians are significantly more concerned about body image, alcohol and bullying than their contemporaries in stable accommodation according to national community service organisation Mission Australia.

The results, compiled from data from Mission Australia’s 2009 National Survey of Young Australians, also found that young homeless people were far less concerned about drugs and personal safety – leading issues of concern for the majority of young people.

To download a copy of the latest report please click here

When asked to rank their concerns about 15 issues, body image was ranked most frequently in the top three by 37.5 per cent of young homeless respondents. In comparison, 25.0 per cent of young people living in stable accommodation ranked body image as a major issue.

The second highest issue of concern to young homeless people was alcohol – with 37.3 per cent of respondents indicating it was a major issue – compared to 22.4 per cent for those in secure housing.

Bullying/emotional abuse was ranked as a major concern by close to one-in-three homeless young people compared to one-in-four of those in stable accommodation.

The main worry for young people in secure housing was drugs with 26.9 per cent compared to only 17.4 per cent for homeless young people.

Similarly, personal safety was viewed as a pressing concern by close to one-in-four non-homeless young people with only one-in-ten homeless youth considering it as such.

Mission Australia’s spokesperson, Anne Hampshire, said the results exposed the differences between young people influenced by their access to secure accommodation.

“We tend to think of young people as an homogenous group but they’re incredibly diverse. And when a young person has experienced homelessness it can have a dramatic impact on their concerns, the things they value and the people or places they turn to for help, particularly compared to those not in that situation,” said Ms Hampshire.

Other differences between homeless and non-homeless respondents identified in the survey include:

• Young homeless people ranked feeling needed and valued (39.1 per cent) as of higher importance compared to non-homeless youth (25.8 per cent). Conversely, young homeless people placed a far greater emphasis on being independent (55.9 per cent) compared to their contemporaries (32.3 per cent).
• While both groups of young people valued family relationships (homeless 66.9% / non-homeless 76.1 per cent) young people in stable housing placed a greater emphasis on friendships (other than family) at 61.4 per cent compared to only 42.6 per cent among homeless youth.
• Homeless youth place a far greater importance on non-family members as a source of advice than those in secure accommodation. Close to one-in-two homeless young people go to community agencies for primary support compared to one-in-ten non-homeless youth. 

Similarly around one-in-two homeless young people use the Internet as a major source of help compared to one-in-five in stable housing. In addition, 30% of homeless young people don’t have access to enough information when they have a personal problem.

The national survey, conducted annually by Mission Australia, tested the views of close to 48,000 young people between the ages of 11-24 (97.9 per cent aged 11-19). Among those who took part, 386 were homeless or in insecure housing; 225 were in out-of-home/foster care; and 460 were living in a juvenile justice centre or prison.

As to why such stark differences existed between homeless and non-homeless young people on issues such as body image, alcohol and drugs, Ms Hampshire said a number of reasons could be responsible.

“Young homeless people are no different to other young adolescents – how they look, their appearance and presentation is important to them. However, their concerns are likely to be magnified if they don’t have access to the resources to buy new clothes or are possibly reliant on donated goods. It’s hard to look after your appearance if you’re couch-surfing and don’t have a safe and secure place to stay.

“Poor body image is also tied up poor self-esteem and an overall lack of well-being. The high concern about alcohol among young homeless respondents – particularly when compared to those in secure housing – could relate to their experience of alcohol misuse in their family or their own usage of alcohol as research has shown there’s an increased likelihood of homeless young people having high levels of alcohol consumption.”

“A lower level of concern about drugs among this group – when it is the chief issue for young people in stable accommodation – might suggest a greater familiarity with drugs and if that’s the case it requires us to put more efforts into drug education and health campaigns for this particular group,” said Ms Hampshire.

According to Ms Hampshire the results also reveal the importance of personal connections in keeping a young person out of homelessness or helping them back on their feet.

“Developing and sustaining connections with family and friends is a key foundation for a young person’s wellbeing. We also know that family conflict is the most common reason for homeless young people leaving home.

“Personal connections are a cornerstone in helping a young homeless person back on their feet – that’s why programs which intervene early to help young homeless people re-build these sorts of relationships are so important,” said Ms Hampshire.

National Homeless Persons’ Week (2-8 August) is also the time for Mission Australia’s Winter Sleepout.

Winter Sleepout encourages Australians to show their support for homeless people by spending a night away from their beds and raising funds for Mission Australia’s homeless services.

Simply get together with your family, friends, colleagues, social teams, schools and clubs and ‘sleepout’ and seek sponsorship for your efforts.

For more information visit www.wintersleepout.com.au

Media contact: Patrick Flynn (02) 9641 5031 or 0407 411 256

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: Last days for Australia's youth to have their say

Time is ticking for young people to voice their concerns in the country’s largest annual youth survey.

Conducted by community service organisation, Mission Australia, the 2010 National Youth Survey winds up on Friday, 2 July for all states except Northern Territory that finishes on 30 July.  Results are to be published later this year.

This is a fantastic opportunity for young Australians – particularly those too young to vote – to tell us their views.

Mission Australia’s head of Research and Social Policy, Anne Hampshire, is calling on young Australians – between 11 and 24 years of age – to participate in this year’s National Youth Survey. The information gathered will be used to help community groups and government to better plan and develop youth services.

“Of particular significance is a new question asking young Australians to list what they view as the top three issues in Australia today, and we feel that this question is especially important for those too young to vote but who still wish to be heard,” says Anne Hampshire.

“Other new questions include one surrounding the level of optimism felt by young Australians about the future, and another asking what should be done about the issues concerning them.

“These questions in particular will help us to develop programs and strategies that are shaped by the voices of young people themselves.”

In 2009, more than 48,000 young people took part and drugs was ranked most frequently in the top three issues of concern by 26.8 per cent of respondents. Suicide was the next top concern at 26.3 per cent, while body image came in third at 25.5 per cent.

Ms Hampshire says it is important to obtain an annual snapshot of the concerns of young Australians.

“Young people’s concerns can be quite volatile – moving around from year to year – and they differ between age groups so it’s important we conduct this survey annually, with as many participants as possible, to obtain an accurate picture.

“The range of concerns – from stress to depression, suicide and body image – also suggest young people are facing increased challenges as they make the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

“The results of the survey assist Mission Australia, other agencies, governments at all levels – as well as schools, parents and families – to better understand young people,” concluded Ms Hampshire.

Mission Australia’s 2010 National Survey of Young Australians can be completed online at www.missionaustralia.com.au/youthsurvey. It is also available at all Mission Australia services, secondary schools, TAFE facilities and libraries nationwide.

The survey closes on Friday, 2 July for all states except Northern Territory that finishes on 30 July.  Results will be published later in the year.

Media contact: Sally Popplestone ph. 0415 547 626. 

Have your say in the National survey of young Australians!

As the largest survey of its kind, Mission Australia's National survey of young Australians is an important source of information on what young Australians aged 11 to 24 are thinking.

The 2010 survey is the ninth annual survey, which will come to a close in a little over a month, so there isn't much time left to provide your opinion about life as a young Australian.

Remember that all responses are completely confidential, and your answers will help improve services for young people.  The survey only takes around 15 minutes to complete.

Visit www.missionaustralia.com.au/youthsurvey and have your say!

National survey of young Australians launched today

Today we are launching the Mission Australia National Survey of Young Australians 2010. It’s our ninth youth survey and is the major advocacy initiative in Mission Australia’s youth pathway.

The results of the survey assist with the development of programs and services that meet young people’s needs, as well as being a key resource document for policy makers in the youth space.

The survey is for all young people aged between 11 and 24 years and asks them what is important to them, what their issues of concern are, where they turn to for advice and support and their participation in community activities.

This year the survey has some additional questions, around what young people think should be done about their issues of concern, what they see as the main issues in Australia today, and how optimistic they feel about the future. These questions will help us to develop youth advocacy strategies that are shaped by the voices of young people themselves.

It is important that we get as many young people as possible to participate and we would very much appreciate you distributing the survey through all your relevant networks – clients, staff, family members, schools, youth groups etc – so that we can make a major impact with this work. Last year close to 48,000 young people participated.

The survey can be completed online at www.missionaustralia.com.au/youthsurvey until Friday 2 July 2010. If you would like to receive a paper copy or multiple copies of the survey please contact Aimee Tyson on (02) 9219 2022 or tysona@missionaustralia.com.au

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