National Youth Strategy Launched

14 April 2010

Jenny Macklin MP is encouraging local residents aged 12-24 to get online and have a look at the National Strategy for Young Australians, launched by the Rudd Government on Wednesday, 14 April 2010.

Ms Macklin said the Strategy is the result of extensive feedback from the Rudd Government’s ongoing dialogue with young people from across the nation through the National Conversation initiative, through events and online.

Ms Macklin said the National Strategy for Young Australians sets out a vision that all young people can and should grow up safe, healthy, happy and resilient.

“The Strategy describes what it’s like to grow up in Australia today – the positives as well as the challenges – and outlines 8 key areas which the Rudd Government will focus its attention on.

“These priority areas are health and wellbeing, education, families, communities, online, work, early intervention and safety,”

“It is a Strategy developed by young people, for young people”,

“It looks at what young people need in terms of their whole life, not just as students or consumers or workers, and help steer the Government’s future actions from the point of view of the young person,”

“This is all part of the Government’s ongoing process of giving young people a better deal and a voice in decisions that affect them.” Ms Macklin said.

Local residents to get online at www.youth.gov.au or email their opinion of the Strategy to the Australian Government Office for Youth at strategyforyoungaustralians@deewr.gov.au.

Snapshot—Being young in Australia

Young people aged 12 to 24 represent nearly 20 per cent of the Australian population and 28 per cent of all households contain a young person.
66 per cent of 12 to 19 year olds live at home with two parents and a further 20 per cent live with one parent.
1 in 5 Australian young people were born overseas.
The majority of young people are in some form of education (43 per cent in secondary school, 20 per cent in tertiary education, and 6 per cent in vocational education and training).
Young people contribute approximately $50 billion to the gross national income.
15 to 19 year olds exceed 40 hours a week in productive activities and 20 to 24 year olds approach or exceed 50 hours a week.
Young people spend on average 40 hours a week with their family.
94 per cent of young people report having friends they can confide in and on average spend 20 hours a week with friends.

· 9 out of 10 Australian families have an internet connection and three in four have broadband internet.

· Suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 24 years, but rates in this age group have declined by 48 per cent between 1997 and 2007.

Source:

www.youth.gov.au

Media Contact: Antony Kenney (Office of Jenny Macklin MP) 0411 311 131

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