Relevant terms from the Child and youth voice research findings index:
Acceptance, Climate change, Life skills, Mental health, Pornography, Social conditions, Social connections, Social media, Substance abuse, Youth voice.
AUTHOR: The Youth19 Research Group
The Youth19 survey, involving over 7,700 young people (years 9–13) in 52 Auckland, Northland and Waikato schools, included two open text questions.
- "What do you think are the biggest problems for young people today?: Key themes raised by the question included:
- Concerns about emotional and mental health, and pressure around not measuring up or fitting in
- Bleak futures: climate change, lack of job opportunities and social problems gave them a sense of inheriting a broken world.
- Social media and tech: issues around addiction/over-use taking time away from other things. Also unrealistic expectations/comparisons
- Risky choices: easy access to drugs, alcohol and porn. Peer pressure, lack of quality teaching
- What do you think should be changed to support young people in New Zealand better? Key themes raised by the question included:
- Listen to them, try to understand their point of view and involve them in decision making
- Support them, socially, emotionally and practically
- Save their future: action on climate change, environmental and economic issues, and elimination of racism and discrimination
- Update school, with more opportunities to learn life-skills and make school less stressful
- Create opportunities and structures to support connection and fun with others.
The Youth19 survey is the latest in the Youth2000 survey series, with previous surveys carried out in 2001, 2007 and 2012. In total, over 36,000 young people have been involved.
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