According to Missional Australia’s Youth Survey, now in its 20th year, the findings contained in the Youth Survey Report 2021, carried out between April and August, highlight the impact of lockdown restrictions on young people.
Coping with stress (60.5 per cent), mental health (50.6 per cent) and school or study problems (49.7 per cent) were the top three issues of 15 to 19-year-olds, along with Covid (48.2 per cent), the environment (39.8 per cent) and equity and discrimination (38.5 per cent).
The percentage of young people who said they felt lonely all or most of the time (31.3 per cent) was higher than the national average (24.9 per cent).
Mission Australia’s Bankstown Area Manager Julie Jasprizza-Laus said: “Young people are showing they’re aware of and care about social, environmental and personal issues affecting themselves, their peers and their country.
“The findings shed light on how young people are coping with the pandemic. Listening to and acting on their detailed insights is vital as we round out our second year of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The Youth Survey is a way of amplifying the voices of young people, and they are telling us that they want to feel heard in political and decision-making processes.”
