FYA releases new report on the impact of racism
A major report released today by The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) reveals that schools are the primary setting for the experience of racism among young people. The national study, titled The Impact of Racism upon the Health and Wellbeing of Young Australians, also finds that 70% of secondary school students experienced at least one form of racism, with those from migrant backgrounds experiencing the highest levels.
“With the Federal Government launching Social Inclusion Week next week, this study is a stark and timely reminder that Australia has a long way to go in addressing the challenge of racism in schools, especially for students from migrant backgrounds,” says Dr Lucas Walsh, Director of Research at FYA. “This report confirms that schools are uniquely placed to engage the challenges and benefits of diversity and that a whole-community approach should support them to do this.”
The research involved 823 students from 18 secondary schools across Australia and examined; their experiences of racism; the effects of that racist behaviour on health and wellbeing; where that racist behaviour most often occurs; how they respond to racism, and their attitudes towards race relations generally. Prepared by Deakin University’s Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, some of the report’s key findings include:
- the group most at risk of racism is female first-generation migrants in Years 11 and 12;
- an underlying racism permeates schools across Australia with 80% of participants from non-Anglo backgrounds and 55% from Anglo backgrounds reporting experiences of racism;
- school education programs around racism are proven to reduce racist behaviour;
- the experience of racism has serious impacts on health and wellbeing.
Professor Fethi Mansouri, Director of the Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation says, “This report, and other research in the field, tells us that there is an urgent need for well-targeted professional development on intercultural understanding and racism for teachers and school leaders. Schools and students would also benefit greatly from curriculum materials that facilitate constructive and meaningful engagement with the sensitive issues of culture, race and inclusive practice.”
Dr Helen Szoke, Commissioner of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission says “The connection between experiences of discrimination and young people’s well-being are well documented. For this reason school-based programs which promote diversity and educate young people about discrimination are important prevention strategies.”
This report coincides with the release yesterday of a report by VicHealth, Building on our strengths, which also shows that there is a clear link between racism and a range of health problems.
Read The Impact of Racism upon the Health and Wellbeing of Young Australians report here
Read The Impact of Racism upon the Health and Wellbeing of Young Australians: At A Glance here
Read the media release here
Read earlier research by James Forrest titled Youth Attitudes to Racism here
HYPAF 2009
A major research report released 8 October by The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) reveals a sharp rise in the rate of youth ‘disengagement’ from work and study. The 2009 How Young People are Faring (HYPAF) report shows that the proportion of teenagers not learning or earning full-time has jumped from 13.4% a year ago to 16.4%, the highest level since the recession of the early 1990s.
Read more
Recession worsens ‘earning and learning’ conditions for young Australians new report finds
A major research report released 8 October by The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) reveals a sharp rise in the rate of youth ‘disengagement’ from work and study.
The 2009 How Young People are Faring (HYPAF) report shows that the proportion of teenagers not learning or earning full-time has jumped from 13.4% a year ago to 16.4%, the highest level since the recession of the early 1990s.
HYPAF is the pre-eminent national report on the learning and work situation of young Australians. This year’s report focuses on the global economic downturn and the subsequent impact on young people’s aspirations, employment opportunities and education pathways.
HYPAF 2009 was commissioned by FYA and prepared by the Centre for Post-compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning (CPELL) at the University of Melbourne.
Dr Lucas Walsh, Director of Research at FYA is candid in his assessment of the report’s findings, “In the wake of both recent economic instability and longer term structural challenges, there is no doubt the conditions of earning and learning for young Australians have deteriorated in 2009,” says Dr Walsh.
The report also highlights that:
- the rate of unemployment among teenagers who were not in full-time education has risen from 12.2% in 2008 to 18.5% in 2009, one of the largest annual increases for teenagers over the past two decades;
- the proportion of teenagers not in full-time education or employment varies widely across states and territories, with the ACT having the lowest rate followed by Victoria and NSW;
- the last 12 months has seen reduced rates of entry into full-time work for school leavers;
- those young people living in the wealthiest areas are three times more likely to gain a university degree by the age of 24 than those in the poorest areas;
- females are nearly twice as likely as males to complete a university degree by the age of 23.
“These are concerning signs about the declining wellbeing of young Australians,” says Adam Smith, CEO at FYA. “In these turbulent times, the challenge for all of us is to provide innovative pathways and new opportunities for young people so that they can realise their full potential.”
The HYPAF report draws on the latest data from a range of sources including annual Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) surveys of education and work, monthly ABS national labour force surveys, and the Census of Population and Housing.
To read the report and related material, click on the links below. To download, right click and choose Save Target As.
Read the full report here.
Read HYPAF 2009: At A Glance here.
Read the HYPAF press release here.
Read the HYPAF 2009 Background Document here.
Read related press coverage at our Media Centre.
Read HYPAF 2008 here.
How Young People Are Faring Report to be released on 8 October
How Young People Are Faring Report to be released on 8 October
How Young People are Faring (HYPAF) is the pre-eminent research report into the education, employment and overall wellbeing of young Australians. The upcoming 2009 report is the 11th in the series and focuses on the global economic downturn and the subsequent impact on young people’s aspirations, employment opportunities and education pathways. Read more
ARACY Conference 2009
The 2009 ARACY (Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth) Conference is focused on the theme of Transforming Australia for our children’s future: Making prevention work. As a conference partner, FYA supports ARACY’s mission to create better futures for all Australia’s children and young people. Read more
Real Engagement with Real Issues
The University of Melbourne’s Australian Youth Research Centre has released an evaluation of The ruMAD? (Are You Making a Difference) Program, which aims to encourage, educate and empower young people to make a difference and facilitate social change within their schools and local communities. Read more
Discussion on the philanthropic grantmaking
On Tuesday 25 August a discussion will be held in Melbourne around the important implications for philanthropic grantmaking arising from the release of A New Federaliam and Boardroom to Classroom reports recently produced by FYA.
