National concerns of Australia’s youth

Major research undertaken by Mission Australia has found that alcohol and drugs, equity and discrimination are the top issues of national concern for young people in Victoria, followed closely by mental health.

Now in its 16th year, the Mission Australia Youth Survey continues to be the biggest annual survey of its kind. A record 24,055 young people aged 15 to 19 took part in the Youth Survey 2017, including 4,783 young people from Victoria, with Victorians identifying alcohol and drugs, equity and discrimination and mental health as the most important issues in Australia today.

Almost three in 10 young people from Victoria identified both alcohol and drugs and equity and discrimination as the top two issues of national concern (both 29.9 per cent) followed closely by mental health (29.7 per cent).

Nationally, young people in regional areas identified alcohol and drugs as a top issue of national concern in much higher rates than young people in major cities (36.9 per cent compared with 29.5 per cent).

Notably, many of the top issues of personal concern reported by young people in Victoria are related to their own mental health, including coping with stress, body image and depression, while mental health was also identified as one of the major barriers to achieving work or study goals after school.

Coping with stress was the top issue of personal concern for young people from Victoria, with 44.9 per cent of respondents from Victoria indicating that they were either extremely concerned (19.9 per cent) or very concerned (25.0 per cent) about this issue.

Mission Australia’s state director Noel Mundy said work was under way on addressing the issues facing young people, but more could be done.

“Important work is already happening to destigmatise mental health issues here in Victoria and across Australia, and it’s significant that young people are becoming more aware of the impacts mental illness can have on their lives and those around them.

“However, the fact that mental health is one of the national concerns for young people in our state reinforces that much more needs to be done.”