The state of Victoria's young people
The state of Victoria's young people (2007) is a report made by the Victorian Government's Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the Department of Planning and Community Development. The report focuses on people aged 12-24 and gathers evidence based on 35 measurable aspects of young people's health, economic wellbeing, learning, safety and community engagement.
Data in the report were drawn from a wide range of state and federal government agencies as well as from specialist analyses that were commissioned where data gaps were identified. The report contains six chapters covering demography (chapter 1); physical and emotional health (chapter 2); economic wellbeing, housing and homelessness (chapter 3); learning, training, further education and employment (chapter 4); safety, protection and crime (chapter 5), and community engagement, civic participation and transport (chapter 6).
Selected findings:
- In 2006, there were 902,796 young people aged 12 to 24 years in Victoria. This comprised 17.7% of the total Victorian population and 24.4% of all young people in Australia. Around three-quarters (73%) of Victorian young people live in metropolitan Melbourne, while the remainder live in rural Victoria.
- There is some evidence of a decline in substance use among young Victorians. Between 2001 and 2006, tobacco smoking among young people aged 18-24 declined from 44.2% to 23.9% for males, and from 27.6% to 23.3% for females. Data also indicates a similar decline in smoking rates among young Victorians aged 12-17 years (p.54).
- While the proportion of students aged 12-15 years and 16-17 years who drink alcohol at levels placing them at risk of short-term harm declined between 2002 and 2005, a survey of 16- to 24-year-olds indicates a 'slight increase' in the proportion of this age group who consume alcohol 'at more extreme levels associated with potential for short-term harm' between 2002 and 2004 (p.56).
- In 2006, 89% of Victorian 15- to 19-year-olds and 78.2% of Victorian 20- to 24-year-olds were engaged in full-time education or employment (p.83); 86.6% of 20- to 24-year-olds had completed Year 12 or an equivalent qualification (p.97).
- In 2005-2006, 2.6 in every 1000 young Victorians (aged 10-17 years) were under juvenile justice supervision, the lowest rate across the country (pp.147-48).
- In 2005-2006, young Victorians aged 10-24 made up 34% of all victims of assault reported to police in that state, while young people aged 24 and under made up 66% of rapes and 90% of other sexual offences reported to police in that state (pp.128, 130).
- While young Victorians are less likely to volunteer than older Victorians, the percentage of young Victorians who reported helping out as a volunteer increased from 11.6% in 2001 to 15.4% in 2006 (p.163).
Source:
Victorian Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the Department of Planning and Community Development 2007, The state of Victoria's young people: A report on how Victorian young people aged 12-24 are faring, State of Victoria, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Melbourne, viewed 30 August 2008,
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ocecd/statewide-outcomes/library/publications/the-state-of-victorias-young-people-report-2007.html
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/ocecd/statewide-outcomes/library/publications/the-state-of-victorias-young-people-report-2007.html