Surprise: Young Aussies Are Super Stressed About Climate Change And Mental Health
"Young people in Australia feel disenfranchised and are deeply concerned about a range of important issues."
According to the 2019 Mission Australia Youth Survey Report, mental health remains the number one concern for young Australians for the third year in a row.
Mental health was a concern for 36.2% of people, particularly when it came to coping with stress, school and body image.
But not surprisingly — in a year that’s had destructive floods, drought and bushfires — their concern over the environment has tripled. The report surveyed more than 25,000 Aussies aged 15 to 19. Only 9.2% saw the environment as a national issue last year, compared to 34.2% this year.
The report also asked whether young people felt they had a voice when it came to talking about important issues. Only 7.2% felt they have a say “all of the time in public affairs”.
me at our government #NSWbushfires
pic.twitter.com/hCEFiGthFk— mon : love on tour la 2020 (@finelinemon) November 12, 2019
Mission Australia CEO James Toomey said this feeling of being ignored could be one of the reasons young people are being driven to engage in protests, like the climate strike.
“These results clearly indicate that young people in Australia feel disenfranchised and are deeply concerned about a range of important issues,” he said.
Australia took a
D
N
AAAA
test
turns
O
U
T
we’re
1
0
0
%
Fucked bc we’re on fire n our prime minister has the mentality of an almond n refuses to do anything useful about it x— krystel ☾ (@loversaftergIow) November 12, 2019
I feel sorry for the kids whose parents don’t care about the environment or climate change.
— Danielle 🌹 (@D_Rose_XO) November 21, 2019
#koalakiller #BerejiklianBushfires @ScottMorrisonMP @GladysB stop destroying my country #climatecrisis
— Erica brown (@yourpostisdelet) November 22, 2019
“It’s vital that all young people have opportunities and forums available to them so they can speak up and shape public matters and policy. Young people’s concerns must be considered when forming policies that affect their lives and futures.”