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Research about young people

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Mobile Matters

The Mobile Matters report details the findings from a year-long youth participatory action research and advocacy program that involved over 100 Melbourne students. The student researchers documented the challenges faced by them and their peers and made recommendations to industry for changes to better support young consumers.
Students have a clear message for telcos and regulators: "We want you to understand what it's like to be a young mobile consumer: we don't just use mobiles for mucking about. We use them for jobs and shifts, school, parents, and emergencies".
Youth and family debt related to mobile phone use has been a recognised problem in Australia for more than a decade. The Youth Advocates program aimed to empower young people to understand their rights and responsibilities as consumers, while fostering peer-research and self-advocacy skills. Major findings culminated in a set of recommendations calling for changes such as more straightforward product offerings and clearer language; removal of unfair charges for voicemail, late fees when there’s been no bill reminder, and charges for calling ‘free call’ (1800) or ‘local rate’ (13/1300) numbers; shorter and more appropriate contracts for young people; and targeted legislation to protect young consumers and keep telcos to their word. http://accan.org.au 4/11/11

 

Evaluation of Youth Connections project

The Brotherhood of St Laurence has released an evaluation report about the effectiveness of the Peninsula Youth Connections (PYC) program, part of a national Australian Government program aimed at supporting young people at risk of disengaging from education and training. PYC provides regular and intensive case management for up to two years for young people, ranging from those who are at high risk of disengaging from school to those who have long been disengaged. The evaluation report, called Overcoming barriers to education: Peninsula Youth Connections evaluation stage 1 report, looked at:

  • identifying the unmet needs that act as barriers to participation in education for young people;
  • the broader systemic factors that impede young people’s learning; and
  • assessing the Youth Connections model’s advantages using PYC as a case study.

Some of the key findings in these areas included a lack of personal and family support and unmet health needs as barriers to engagement in learning. Systemic barriers included the ‘excessive requirement to conform’ to school systems, and a bias towards academic pathways. The strengths of the Youth Connections model were found to be its flexible, holistic approach, and areas for improvement included improving communication with referring professionals and addressing program stability. The report and a 4 page summary: www.bsl.org.au/Research-and-Publications/Research-and-Policy-Centre/Through-school-to-work.aspx. [Source: www.acys.info]

Single mums locked out of rental market

They may have vulnerable children but a study has found that it is almost impossible for young single mothers to get a foothold in the private home rental market. Anglicare Sydney's Home Truths report says the situation has worsened in the last few years because of rising rents and a chronic shortage of public housing…

Children of migrants outclassing the locals at school

AUSTRALIA is one of three countries where the children of migrants perform better at school than their local classmates. While the experience around the world is that students from migrant backgrounds tend to do less well at school, a report says the exceptions are Australia, Canada and Hungary. Students born in Australia to foreign-born parents score much higher on an international reading test than other Australian-born students, by about half a year of school.

The report, Education at a Glance, says first-generation students, who have migrated to Australia, score a little higher than other students. The difference persists even after accounting for the social background of students, with first- and second-generation migrant students scoring 11 points higher… theaustralian.com.au 14/9/11
www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/children-of-migrants-outclassing-the-locals-at-school/story-fn59nlz9-1226136191182

 

Pause in pot prevents progress to other drugs

Cannabis is often regarded as a 'gateway' to taking a range of illicit substances. But a wide ranging study into cannabis use by Victorian teenagers has found that it's a two-way street and that giving up marijuana can lower the uptake of other drugs like amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy… abc.net.au/worldtoday 19/7/11 Read full story or Listen to MP3

 

Charity work to be used to pay fines

PEOPLE too poor to pay their fines will be allowed to work off their debts by volunteering with charities. NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith will expand a program that allows low-income earners to work with church and community groups instead of paying their speeding, red-light camera and fare evasion fines. The Work Development Orders (WDO) pilot program has processed 700 people who racked up massive debts. The pilot program members, including homeless youth, people with mental illnesses and poor families, reduced their fine debt by a combined $294,000. About 80% of the participants did not incur another fine after entering the program. Youth Off The Streets CEO Father Chris Riley said the program would allow the disadvantaged youth on the street to shake off debts and have a "new start". "These fines can add up to thousands of dollars and eventually the fine becomes so big, they just throw their hands in the air and say, 'Look, I can't ever fix this, so I'm just going to keep going with getting fines on trains'," Father Riley said. A doctor involved with the pilot program said it was a proactive approach to early crime intervention. "When I say I could help you get your licence back, all of a sudden we've got engagement,"... www.dailytelegraph.com.au 1/7/11 Read more

 

Flawed system harming a new generation of forgotten children

In 2009, the Federal Parliament apologised to the forgotten Australians who were physically, sexually, and emotionally abused in state and charitable-run orphanages between the 1920s and '70s. The apology was accompanied by solemn pledges to never again allow child abuse to go unchecked. It followed the closing in the 1980s and '90s of virtually all large-scale orphanages because of the detrimental impact of institutionalised care on children. Yet 30 years later, state governments are quietly re-opening institutions to house children who are again being abused by the system that should protect them…
The standard policy and practice in all states is to keep vulnerable children with their families, and work with dysfunctional parents to try to fix problems such as substance abuse, mental illness and domestic violence. For many children, efforts to prevent maltreatment, including extensive contact with early intervention and other support services, does more harm than good because removal from the family home as a last resort occurs too late. Hence, most of the nearly 36,000 children in out-of-home care have serious emotional, psychological and behavioural problems… smh.com.au 3/11/11 Read more

 

Vocational study no substitute for HSC

STUDENTS who take certificate training as an alternative to year 12 are worse off than their peers who get better results and have better work options, states a study of young people. If governments push vocational education as a viable alternative to final year study, it should be no less than a Certificate III, the study by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research found. The report, The Vocational Equivalent to Year 12, concluded there was no true comparison between the HSC (and its national equivalent) and certificate training and that a Certificate II did not measure up… smh.com.au 21/9/11 Read more

 

The dark legacy of child abuse

A hidden history of child abuse may lie behind the myriad social problems that afflict Australia, from its high rate of depression to its high rate of homelessness. We are more aware of the existence of child abuse. But that has not translated into an understanding of its pervasive and long-lasting legacy. In a room of 100 women, 12 or 13 on average would have experienced sexual abuse as a child; in a room of 100 men, at least four or five would be survivors of sexual abuse… smh.com.au 2/7/11 Read more

 

Job Services Australia

A new research piece by the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria, Swimming Upstream: Young People and Service Provision Under Job Services Australia, considers the provision of employment services to vulnerable or disadvantaged young people under the Job Services Australia program. The report confirms the importance of generalist and specialised youth JSA providers adopting best practice when working with young people. It also recommends that the JSA program recognise more strongly the social and non-vocational outcomes achieved for vulnerable young people by JSA providers, and that providers be encouraged to adopt a flexible, integrated and individualised approach to supporting vulnerable youth. Source: YACVic www.yacvic.org.au/policy/detail-current.chtml?filename_num=382915

 

Parents and teenage drinking habits

Does allowing teens to drink under supervision educate or encourage? Under-age drinking is widespread and parents struggle to know how to deal with it. Many try to minimize the harm of excessive drinking by allowing teenagers to drink moderately under their supervision. Professor Richard Mattick is conducting a five year study of teenagers and their parents to determine whether this strategy is effective… abc.net.au 31/8/11 Listen

 

How young people react to traumatic events

When a young person experiences a traumatic event, it is often unclear the types of reactions they might display, or how this event might affect them in the longer-term. Many children and adolescents will experience some type of reaction following traumatic events, but fortunately, most are resilient and gradually return to their previous functioning over time. However, there are some youth who continue to experience difficulties over time… The Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network (ACATLGN) has produced a new booklet: How children and young people experience and react to traumatic events. www.earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au Download PDF

 

Indigenous youth crime rates a 'national crisis'

A federal parliamentary committee has described the over-representation of Indigenous youth in Australia's criminal justice system as a "national crisis", finding that Aboriginal youth are 28 times more likely to be detained than non-Indigenous youth… abc.net.au 21/6/11

 

Joint drug and mental illness treatment showing signs of success

For most young people suffering both drug addiction and mental health problems, the chances of rehabilitation are slim. But a report out today says one model of treatment is getting results and over a long period of time. Unlike most other programs, the Triple Care Farm treats both conditions simultaneously. There's a strong link between the two conditions in the 16 to 24 age bracket, and people who suffer from both are at a greater risk of relapse on both fronts. Often government programs or non profit programs can be delivered in isolation from one another. Sometimes you can get the drug treatment but you can't get the mental health treatment at the same time, you might be able to get mental health treatment or not the drug treatment. Mission Australia has released a report into the service it offers and it shows evidence the model is getting results. From 2005 to 2009, 400 young people completed the program. In the beginning 93 per cent were unemployed, and six months after leaving almost half that group had jobs. Almost half the students were homeless to start with; only one of the graduates who completed the survey was sleeping rough six months later… abc.net.au/am 12/7/11 read full story or listen to MP3 download. See also ABC TV report, Triple Care Farm & report into Triple Care Farm PDF

 

Is the “alcopops” tax working? Probably yes but there is a bigger picture

The Australian Government’s decision to raise taxes on ready-to-drink spirit-based beverages (RTDs; “alcopops”) in 2008 caused great controversy. Interest groups have selectively cited evidence to support their points of view. The alcohol industry cited Victorian data from the Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug Survey (ASSADS) as evidence that the tax had failed, but closer examination of the data suggests that fewer students are drinking, and fewer are drinking at risky or high-risk levels. Excise data from the first full year after the tax came into effect showed a more than 30% reduction in RTD sales and a 1.5% reduction in total pure alcohol sold in Australia. Although understanding the impact of the alcopops tax will require critical analysis of a range of evidence, sales and ASSADS data suggest that the tax has resulted in reduced consumption of RTDs and total alcohol. The most effective and cost-effective measures for reducing consumption and harm are a comprehensive graduated volumetric alcohol taxation system, a minimum price per standard drink, and special measures for particular products that may cause disproportionate harm. While welcoming the alcopops tax, public health advocates have consistently argued for a comprehensive package of reform that covers pricing, availability and promotion of alcohol, as well as education and treatment services… www.mja.com.au 18/7/11 Full article

 

Arabic-speaking students 'being left behind'

Department of Education figures confirm few Arabic-language students are making their way into the high-performance selective high schools… smh.com.au 28/6/11 Read more

 

Transitioning from Care

Transitioning from Care in Australia: an Evaluation of CREATE’s ‘What’s the Plan?’ Campaign, is now available for download or hard copy purchase from CREATE www.create.org.au. This third Report Card by CREATE, looking at transitioning from care, again highlights that there are significant gaps in service delivery to young people who are arguably at the most vulnerable time of their lives. In the coming months CREATE will be hosting Report Card Briefings in every state and territory. Please direct all inquiries about the Report Card to your state CREATE Office or to Rosemary Jenkinson (Manager Policy and Research) on 07 3255 3145 or rosemary.jenkinson@create.org.au. 28/6/11

 

Mainstream School System Failing Young Australians

The Federal Government’s ‘learn or earn’ policy has been labeled by education experts as another ineffective one size fits all policy for young people. Professor Johanna Wyn, Director of Melbourne University’s Youth Research Centre told the National Youth Sector Conference that one size fits all policies like learn and earn go against the diversity of young people in the community. The policy, which was introduced in 2010, requires young people under the age of 21 who have not finished year 12 or have equivalent qualifications, to be studying or working full time (at least 25 hours per week) in order to qualify for youth allowance.

More Australian students leave school at the age of 16 than in most other OECD countries. Only 80% of young people complete year 12 in Australia, including TAFE and other courses, compared to 88% in the US and Canada, 91% in Germany and 95% in Japan. Wyn says this illustrates that the mainstream school system is failing to reach the needs of a significant proportion of young people.

Over 35,000 students are in alternative or flexible learning programs that cater for students that would otherwise not continue with their schooling. However the estimated demand for places in such programs is another 70,000… 31/5/11 Read more

 

Sunbed use linked to melanomas, study finds

THE risk of developing melanoma under the age of 30 increases sixfold for people who use solariums more than 10 times, according to the first study linking sunbed use with early-onset melanoma. A single visit to a solarium could increase the risk of melanoma by 41 per cent… smh.com.au 25/6/11 Read more

 

New book brings bullies and victims to the table

In a new book, Professor Ken Rigby explores an approach to bullying in schools that not only empowers students, but brings both the bully and the bullied together to sort out the problems… www.unisa.edu.au 13/4/11 read full article

 

Youth mental health and jobs

Mental illness is a barrier to employment and training. Almost a third of the people on the disability pension have a mental illness. A federal parliamentary inquiry is examining the barriers that exist in education and the workplace. Hear from youth mental health researcher Eoin Killackey… ABC radio Life Matters 13/4/11 – listen

 

A new big picture is busting myths about NSW kids

The diversity of the lives of the more than an estimated 1.6 million children in NSW has been highlighted following the launch today of a new website by the NSW Commission for Children and Young People. A picture of NSW children brings together information from major data sources using new communication technologies to make this information about NSW kids easily accessible to policy professionals and decision makers who can use it to inform their work. A free iPad app is also being developed to support this work.

Produced in collaboration with the UNSW’s Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC), the information is being released in a series that includes an introduction to NSW Children and their families, economic well-being, child care and education, health and well-being, safety, children in communities and children who offend. The data in the first release includes:

  • There were an estimated 1.6 million children in NSW in 2009
  • About two in five children were in their early childhood years; two in five in the middle years and one in five were teenagers.
  • More than three quarters lived in NSW’s major cities of Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
  • In 2008 there were 95,444 births in NSW - an increase of 10% from 2004.
  • Within Sydney, births have increased by over 20 per cent in Inner Western Sydney, Eastern Suburbs, Central Inner Sydney, and Fairfield-Liverpool. There has been no or very little growth in the Outer South Western Sydney and the Outer Western Sydney areas.
  • Despite this “baby boomlet”, the percentage of children to adult is falling and the population of NSW is ageing.

NSW Commission for Children and Young People 10 May 2011. http://picture.kids.nsw.gov.au

 

Juveniles boost rate of recidivism

EIGHT in 10 young people and more than half of all adults who were convicted of a crime 15 years ago have since reoffended, a new study shows. The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research studied more than 80,000 people who were convicted of an offence in NSW in 1994 and followed them for 15 years. Its report says those convicted of sexual offences, fraud, drink-driving or firearms offences had below-average reconviction rates, while those convicted of breaking and entering and other property offences were more likely to reoffend. ''Reoffending was higher among males … and younger people,'' the research says… smh.com.au 5/5/11 Read more

 

Making people employable is the key

We really do need an education revolution at every level - from early childhood development to universities. But one less fashionable area where we must do a lot better is vocational education and training (the government part of which is TAFE - technical and further education). Yesterday Chris Evans, the Minister for Skills, issued a report from Skills Australia, Skills for Prosperity, a ''road map for vocational education and training''. The report says Australia will need an additional 2.4 million skilled workers by 2015 to meet the growing needs of business, after allowing for the replacement of retiring baby boomers. By 2025 we'll need 5.2 million. Many will have to be trained by the voc ed system. … To find and recruit all the extra bodies, the system would need to increase the proportion of disadvantaged people it attracts. Disadvantaged doesn't only mean disabled, it also means early school-leavers and others with inadequate literacy and numeracy. Voc ed is the part of the education system best suited to picking up the stragglers, so to speak. And part of our effort to make sure we make lasting gains from the resources boom should be doing more to improve the skills - and hence the employability - of people at the bottom of the pile… smh.com.au 4/5/11 Read more

 

US teenagers - technology stats

Charts and Excel data files of a selection of the Pew Internet Project's latest findings on how American teens (ages 12-17) use the internet and technology.

  • Teen Internet User Demographics
  • Teen Gadget Ownership
  • Online Activities: What Teens Do Online
  • Internet Access Type
  • Tech Usage Over Time - Teens


 http://pewinternet.org/Trend-Data-for-Teens.aspx

 

Teenage boys more likely to struggle with parental separation, study finds

Teenage boys tend to have a harder time than girls in adjusting to their parents' separation… smh.com.au 26/5/11 Read more

 

Young people smarter and safer online than adults assume

Research by the Cooperative Research Centre for Young People, Technology and Wellbeing (YAW-CRC) has shown that young people are much better equipped to deal with online risks than adults assume and that young people themselves are the most valuable resource for adults concerned about the online safety of their children.

The research also reveals significant benefits to young people through social networking, which helps them to build relationships with the world around them and increases their sense of community and belonging. The research revealed that, despite a public focus on the negative aspects of social networking, there are significant benefits to social networking, including:

  1. Enhancing young people’s education
  2. Supporting their personal relationships
  3. Giving them safe opportunities to explore their identity, and
  4. Increasing their sense of community and belonging.

“In the Living Lab we inverted the usual power relationships that underpin cybersafety education. Instead of charging adults with the responsibility of educating young people about cybersafety, we put young people in charge” says Dr Amanda Third from the University of Western Sydney. “Our research has shown that young people have an incredible amount of expertise. With support they can be an excellent source of information and education for parents seeking to realistically assess the cybersafety risks their children face.”

The research concluded that the youth-led workshop proved to be an effective way to respond to parents’ concerns about cybersafety. Parents reported that having access to the expertise of a young person not only helped them understand what young people are doing online but also gave them a new appreciation of the benefits of social networking for young people, skilled them in the use of the technology and encouraged them to have more productive cybersafety conversations with their own children. “It was really fantastic to have a young person who was able to show me the techniques that she uses to be able to block, or filter or manage her online relationships.” said Maxine, parent and research participant. 5/4/11 Read more

 

Juvenile detainees' shocking histories

MORE than half the young people in NSW juvenile detention facilities were abused as children, and nearly 40 per cent of the girls were sexually abused, a government report reveals. The report by Justice Health and Juvenile Justice paints a bleak picture of the backgrounds of children and young people in the state's juvenile prisons. Nearly one-third of the girls have been pregnant, with the average age of first having sex 13.1 years for Aboriginal youngsters and 13.6 for non-Aborigines. Thirteen was also the average age the detainees reported first being drunk. The 2009 NSW Young People in Custody Health Survey reveals that more than 27 per cent of incarcerated young people (and 40 per cent of young women) had a history of foster or kinship care… smh.com.au 12/4/11 Read more

 

Trends in juvenile detention in Australia

The Australian Institute of Criminology released a report detailing trends in juvenile detention in Australia over the past 30 years identifying an increase in the number of juveniles in remand. Key trends in juvenile detention in Australia included a substantial decrease since 1981 from 64 per 100,000 to 37 per 100,000. There has been a 31 percent decline in the number of male juveniles detained since 1981 and a 70 percent decline in the number of female juveniles detained since 1981. While the number and rate of juveniles in detention have decreased markedly, the proportion of juveniles detained in remand has increased substantially since 1981 and a far higher proportion of juvenile than adult detainees in Australia is remanded, although this national trend has not been mirrored in every jurisdiction. 12/05/11 Report

 

Education could improve relationship between police and LGBT youth

A researcher looking at the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people with the police has recommended that more education is needed - on both sides. Dr Angela Dwyer of QUT said one of the things she found most surprising was how many LGBT young people were approached and told not to show affection for their same-sex partner… news.qut.edu.au 4/4/11 read full article

 

Hospitality industry faces Gen Y management challenge

Job security, flexible hours, and relaxed rules about mobile phone use at work are what Gen Y staff members want from their employers… uq.edu.au 31/3/11 read full article

 

Overweight teenagers run risk of liver disease

Australian teenagers are becoming so overweight they are doing the type of damage to their livers that would normally be seen in older alcoholics, researchers have found. The researchers discovered a condition called fatty liver disease, which is normally found in older people who are overweight or obese, heavy drinkers, or have chronic conditions such as hepatitis, in about 13 per cent of the 17-year-olds they tested… smh.com.au 26/3/11 read full story

 

Fear and poor information increase cervical cancer risks

Some girls are missing out on the vaccination that helps protect against cervical cancer because of fears related to the vaccination process… 28/3/11 www.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=6631

 

One less for the road as young steer clear of the driver's seat

Driving lessons are no longer a rite of passage, with a new study showing people under 35 are becoming less likely to hold a driver's licence. Applications for learners' permits are at record highs, but fewer young people are making the transition to a licence. In 1991, 79% of the state's 20- to 24-year-olds had their licence. That fell to 51% by 2009. In the same period, the number of people 19 and under with a licence dropped 20% … smh.com.au 18/2/11 read full article

 

Gambling: growing problem among youth

A worrying number of young people have gambling-related problems either as a result of their own gambling or that of a family member. Research suggests that the earlier young people start gambling, the more likely they are to have gambling problems later in life. Adolescents can experience a rapid movement from social gambling to problem gambling. Young people play poker with friends, gamble on scratch lotteries and sports, and gamble on the internet. Youth gambling is often associated with other risk-taking behaviours, disengagement from school and mental health problems… www.acys.info/yfx/issues/number_174/news/gambling_a_growing_problem_among_youth

 

Eating disorder treatments fail many

Almost every third person seeking treatment for an eating disorder comes away feeling like they got nothing out of it, a survey suggests. And some of those say it even makes things worse. A survey of 135 adult Australians showed 30% weren't helped by visiting a professional, and 10% of those said their condition got worse. Most of the trouble derives from the first point of contact, usually with a doctor or a teacher, who lacks specific training… smh.com.au 18/2/11 read full story

 

Work and study: getting the balance right

Most tertiary students combine full-time study with a part-time job but the number of hours they work can mean the difference between completing a degree or dropping out. A national study of 15- to 25-year-olds found a direct relationship between the number of hours worked and reduced completion rates... ABC radio Life Matters 21/2/11 - listen at www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2011/3124528.htm

 

Fear and poor information increase cervical cancer risks

Some girls are missing out on the vaccination that helps protect against cervical cancer because of fears related to the vaccination process… 28/3/11 www.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=6631

 

Work and study: getting the balance right

Most tertiary students combine full-time study with a part-time job but the number of hours they work can mean the difference between completing a degree or dropping out. A national study of 15- to 25-year-olds found a direct relationship between the number of hours worked and reduced completion rates... ABC radio Life Matters 21/2/11 - listen at www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2011/3124528.htm

 

Young parents

Keeping teen mothers in education: With the right support at school and in the community, girls can continue with their education and greatly improve their prospects. The Association of Women Educators held a symposium on teenagers, pregnancy and education... abc.net.au 20/1/10 listen to audio

Barriers to Service Delivery for Young Pregnant Women & Mothers: Barriers occur in complex relationships with each other that can become self-perpetuating. The more barriers a young woman faces, and/or the more vulnerabilities that she experiences, the more difficult it is for her to access services, and the more difficult it will be for service providers to accommodate her needs. www.deewr.gov.au/Youth/Programs/NYARS/Documents/ServiceDeliveryBarriers_Report.pdf

Young Dads: "Having a baby so young kept me out of jail." Young fathers are often seen as irresponsible boys who got their girlfriends pregnant and then disappeared, or young men who threw their potential success away by having a family. The real experience is quite different… abc.net.au 20/11/10 listen now or download audio

 

Same sex attracted report abuse

Writing Themselves In 3 (WTi3), a study on the health and wellbeing of young same-sex attracted and gender questioning (SSAGQ) people, showed 75% of SSAGQ young people had experienced some sort of abuse; 61% reported verbal homophobic abuse; 18% reported homophobically-motivated physical abuse; 69% reported other types of homophobia, including cyber bullying, graffiti, social exclusion and humiliation. 80% of the verbal and physical abuse reported occurred at school… Download report from www.latrobe.edu.au/ssay.

 

Youth needs new reasons to become political

… traditional activism among whippersnappers has been diving for decades. Joining political parties, writing letters to editors and MPs, and even participating in political rallies are all very last decade. ''They do not see the relationship between politics and everyday life,''The last time people turned out in their thousands to protest was in 2003 when the Howard government decided to join the Iraq invasion. Look how well that worked out… smh.com.au 17/2/11 read full article

 

Chronic disease time bomb

Results of a national diet and physical activity survey of high school students will ring alarm bells among educators, health professionals and parents. The research by Cancer Council Australia and the Heart Foundation reveals that one in four students is overweight or obese, only 14% of students meet the recommended intake of fruit and vegetables, and 85% don’t engage in sufficient physical activity to provide a health benefit… www.acys.info/yfx/issues/number_174/news/chronic_disease_time_bomb

 

Call for exercise to combat mental illness

Mental health experts say disrupted sleep is both a major trigger and an aggravator of mental illnesses such as depression, and can be combatted in students by putting more emphasis on physical education… ABC TV Lateline 26/10/10 – read transcript: www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s3049074.htm or watch video: www.abc.net.au/reslib/201010/r662595_4755385.asx

 

Apprenticeships: why aren't they finishing?

First-year apprentices used to be 16 years old, male and straight out of school. Now most are over 20, but over half don't complete their training. Dr Alan Montague says better wages and a streamlined training system will reduce the high attrition rate… ABC radio Life Matters 23/2/11 – listen: www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2011/3145966.htm

 

Booze warnings not reaching young drivers

A new survey has concluded that road safety messages about drink-driving are not working on young people. According to an AAMI survey of almost 3,000 Australians aged 18 to 24, very little has changed since its first Young Drivers Index was released in 2001. The morning after the night before is a dangerous time on the nation's roads, with 46% of young drivers admitting they have driven while still drunk from the night before… abc.net.au 7/12/2010 read full article

Alcopops makeover arouses passions

Summer is on the way and so are alcopops - despite the heavy tax and an official distaste. After the 70% tax slashed sales of the sugary drinks popular with teenage girls two years ago, the liquor industry is reporting rising demand for products such as Passion Pop, a 4.5% alcohol version of the passionfruit-flavoured sparkling wine that has traditionally come in bottles. Now the liquor conglomerate Australian Vintage Limited has repackaged Passion Pop in a 250ml purple can to be promoted at Stereosonic music festivals for over-18s across Australia… smh.com.au 27/11/10 read full story

 

Not earning or learning

Teenagers should be 'learning or earning' according to the Government's mantra. But 16% of 15- to 19-year-olds are not in full-time work or at school, according to a new report. Despite good economic times, our youth unemployment remains high and the Year 12 retention rate is low. How to reconnect disengaged youth with school or work… abc.net.au 23/11/10 listen now or download audio
Poverty of ideas in welfare crackdown: Spend money creating jobs, not supervising those doing it tough, write John Falzon & Sally Cowling… smh.com.au 18/10/10 read full story
Young people the hidden victims of the GFC: "We need a long-term plan that addresses the systemic barriers that prevent young people from entering the workforce" … 21/7/10 www.ayac.org.au read full article

 

Teens 'left behind' in economic recovery

The Federal Government is being urged to focus employment initiatives on teenagers being left behind by Australia's economic recovery. A new report from the Foundation of Young Australians indicates the unemployment rate for teenage males aged between 15 and 19 sits at close to 19%, compared to the national average of just over 5%... How Young People are Faring 2010: www.fya.org.au

 

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. Young Australians are also wrestling with stress and school/study worries at far greater levels than in recent years.

The national survey, conducted by Mission Australia, tested the views of more than 50,000 young people mainly between the ages of 11-19. Mission Australia's 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... "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... missionaustralia.com.au 16/11/10 media release, read the report, listen to Life Matters interview, listen to The World Today or read transcipt

 

Binge culture puts young women at risk

HEAVIER drinking is exposing young women to increased risk of sexual assault for which male perpetrators routinely escape blame, a government-sponsored study has found. The report on the boozing culture of Australians aged 14 to 24 found many young people felt pressure to get drunk and that victims of sexual assault were more likely to blame themselves and alcohol and exonerate men… smh.com.au 18/11/10 read full story

 

Youth call Australia home, but cling to heritage

A study of young people aged 14 to 17 who live in Sydney's west and south-west suburbs found only one-third of them called themselves Australian even though two-thirds were born here. Instead they identified themselves by their ethnic background as Tongan, Chinese, Lebanese, and so on... Less than half of them also felt ''Australian'' all the time and one-fifth did not feel ''Australian'' at all… smh.com.au 6/11/10 read full story

 

Slash repeat offending - the best way to cut crime

70% of young people at the Children's Court will be back in court facing fresh charges within 8 years… Some rehabilitation programs have been shown to reduce repeat offending by up to 17%. They reduce crime substantially and cost a good deal less than imprisonment…The most effective programs are those that tackle the problems that keep offenders involved in crime - problems such as drug use, poor anger management, poor social skills, inability to read and write, intellectual disability, psychiatric illness and lack of stable accommodation… smh.com.au 21/10/10 read full story
Change in offence seriousness by juvenile offenders: research has for the first time shed light on the question of whether offending by juvenile offenders gets more serious over time... www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au 25/10/10 read media release

 

Alcohol and teens - a dilemma for parents

Parents are being told to wait longer before letting kids have alcohol. But just how strict should you be? abc.net.au 4/11/10 read Alcohol and teens - a dilemma for parents

 

For teenagers, plain packets take gloss off cigarettes

Plain packaging makes cigarettes much less appealing to teenagers, research shows. When 14- and 15-year-olds were shown cigarettes with plain packaging they became more aware of the graphic health warnings on the packets and had higher overall perceptions of the harm caused by smoking.

It also made cigarettes seem less socially appealing. It was particularly important to influence 14- and 15-year-olds because that was the age at which most people started smoking, researchers said. The chief executive of the Cancer Council Australia, Ian Olver, said plain packets should be introduced as soon as possible… smh.com.au 8/10/10 read full story

 

Billions lost as online criminals target young

Online scams targeting young people are proliferating faster than you can say, ''free trial offer, send money today''... While offline scams frequently targeted pensioners and older people, internet scammers have younger people in their sights, with people aged 18-24 losing an average $1619, compared to $1000 across all age groups... smh.com.au 21/9/10 read full story

 

Ding, dong! Avon's Gen Y sellers call on your inbox

ONE in four Gen Yers expect to be self-employed at some time in their working life, according to independent research which has found an increasing number of under-25s are selling door-to-door style products such as Avon, Amway and Tupperware... smh.com.au 18/9/10 read full story

 

If you want to keep young drivers safe, give them your car keys

PARENTS could cut the road toll by handing their car keys over to their P-plater children, a road safety expert said. The chairman of the National Road Safety Council, Roger Cook, said the youth road toll could be drastically cut by getting P-platers out of unsafe old ''bombs'' and into their parents' cars. "That's where all of us have gone wrong. We've allowed the P-platers to drive old bombs rather than encouraging them [at] night time to take the good cars and leave the bombs at home for us to drive,'' he said... smh.com.au 2/9/10 read full story

Costs push P-platers into old cars Insurance company policy is discouraging young drivers from driving safer cars. Despite calls from road safety experts to get P-platers behind the wheel of the latest model cars, insurance companies are charging big money to cover new drivers... smh.com.au 4-5/9/10 read full story

Sleepiness kills young driving skills Driving when you're sleepy is a bad idea for anyone. But there's growing evidence that for young drivers, it's especially dangerous… abc.net.au 12/11/09 read full story

 

Teenagers & sleep

Lack of sleep linked to mental illness: A leading mental health specialist is calling for an education campaign to teach young adults about the need for a good night's sleep. A landmark Australian study has shown a link between a lack of sleep and mental illness in young adults. It indicates that people sleeping fewer than five hours a night are three times more likely to become mentally ill than those sleeping for eight or nine hours... abc.net.au 1/9/10 read full story or listen to audio

Teenage sleep: Australian adolescent sleeping patterns have been revealed for the first time in a large study by the University of South Australia. Their finding? Teenagers are not sleeping nearly enough. Emerging research is showing that they actually need as much sleep as young children, around ten hours a night. Researcher Sarah Blunden suggests moving the screens out of bedrooms, but this needs to be negotiated with teens... abc.net.au 9/8/10 listen to audio

School daze: why teens should lie in: More schools are starting to challenge traditional school hours as some schools discover that flexible timetables can maximise resources, provide focused attention for year groups, ease traffic and travel congestion, and, most significantly, redress the clash between school starting times and the sleep cycle of adolescents… smh.com.au 28/6/10 read full story

Sleepiness kills young driving skills Driving when you're sleepy is a bad idea for anyone. But there's growing evidence that for young drivers, it's especially dangerous… abc.net.au 12/11/09 read full story

 

The adolescent brain: nature, nurture or both?

Important new research from Sydney and Brisbane is showing how vulnerable a teenager's brain can be and what stands in the way of a child maximising his or her potential… abc.net.au 22/11/10 listen or read transcript

 

Morning after pill awareness shortfall

Women have been scared off using the morning-after pill by misinformation about how it works and where they can get it … most do not know they can buy it without a prescription … one-third thought it caused an abortion and nearly two-thirds thought it could lead to birth defects if it did not prevent pregnancy. Because it is known as the morning-after pill, many believed it could only be taken the morning after sex when in fact it can be used relatively effectively for up to five days... smh.com.au 20/7/10 read full story

 

Poor social skills link bullies and victims

BULLIES and their victims share many childhood traits and only a few factors decide whether a child will become one or the other, research shows... smh.com.au 8/9/10 read full story

 

Focus on homeless aims to end couch-surfing

One of the largest studies of homelessness found 44% of respondents first experienced homelessness before turning 12, and nearly 75% experienced it before turning 18. A fifth said they had slept on the streets before the age of 12, and close to half had slept rough before turning 18. Intergenerational homelessness is also high. About half said one or both of their parents had experienced homelessness of one kind or another... smh.com.au 2/8/10 read full story

 

When to really worry about teens

Adolescent psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg talks about early warning signs and what distinguishes normal teen behaviour from the beginnings of mental illness … ABC radio Life Matters 10/1/11 – listen: www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2011/3066696.htm

 

Juvenile Offending - What Are the Facts?

2010 seminar – audio files and powerpoints now online:

  • Garner Clancey, Sydney Institute of Criminology) & Peter Muir, NSW Juvenile Justice
  • Rachel Aalders, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
  • Jessie Holmes, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research
  • Dr Eric Heller, Manager of Research, NSW Juvenile Justice

http://sydney.edu.au/law/criminology/seminars_events/index.shtml#audioJJfacts

 

Teens and family support

Parents should be included, not excluded, as is the common practice, in services for troubled adolescents. New research from the Australian Institute of Family Studies suggests that it's in the best interests of young people to have their families involved... abc.net.au 30/3/10 listen to audio
What works with adolescents? Family connections and involvement in interventions for adolescent problem behaviours, by Elly Robinson, Lyndal Power & David Allan. Australian Family Relationships Clearinghouse, AIFS Briefing paper
http://www.aifs.gov.au/afrc/pubs/briefing/briefing16.html

 

Detecting signs of suicide?

Youth counsellors fail to detect suicide signs: School counsellors and youth workers are failing to detect children at risk of suicide or ensure vulnerable youths are properly treated smh.com.au 7/11/06 * Read the report kids.nsw.gov.au 11/06

 


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