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Future studies

Never better -- or getting worse? The health and wellbeing of young Australians

This report, by Richard Eckersley of Australia21, 'presents an overview of the patterns and trends in young Australians' health and wellbeing; shows that some of the apparent contradictions can be explained, although "irreconcilable differences" remain; discusses the social determinants of these patterns and trends; and, finally, considers what this means for how we seek to improve young people's health and wellbeing'.

Attitudes toward the future

  • Over 80% of young Australians are personally optimistic about their own lives. This proportion has not changed over the past 20 years (like happiness and life satisfaction, it tends to be a stable measure at the population level) (Eckersley et al. 2007).
  • However, a growing proportion of young people appear to believe the quality of life in Australia is declining (despite a long economic boom that has seen strong economic growth, declining unemployment and rising incomes) (Eckersley et al. 2007).
  • The gap between young people's expected and preferred futures for Australia has widened, and concerns about the future of the world have increased. In a survey by Tucci et al. 2006, almost two-thirds of children aged 10 to 17 either did not believe (18%), or were unsure (44%), that their generation would be better off than their parents; and 27% were concerned the world would end before they got old.
Source: Eckersley, R. 2008, Never better -- or getting worse? The health and wellbeing of young Australians, Australia21, <http://www.australia21.org.au/whats_new.htm>, viewed 14 October 2008.

Australia 21 is a non-profit, public-interest research company that devotes itself to the future: to "future generations, the environment of the future and the future of the planet". The first Australian 21 program to get underway in 2004 ago concerned young Australians.

Generations in dialogue about the future: The hopes and fears of young Australians

This is an Australia 21 project that aims to further understanding of young people's views of the future and how these views are woven into the stories they create to make sense and meaning of their lives. The project is the 2nd in the 'Australians in society' research program initiated by Australia 21.

While the project is focused on young people's future visions, it is also a vehicle for exploring broader questions of identity, belonging, meaning and values. Young people's stories about the future allow for an exploration of issues that research has traditionally looked at through the lens of "education" and "labour-force participation" or "marriage and parenthood".

Futures studies reveal the different ways in which researchers have approached the future and people construe the future. They note the human susceptibility to apocalyptic ideas and, at the same time, the mythic need for utopian ideals, both of which are embodied in 'story'.  Their 1st project, 'Pathways to success and wellbeing for Australia's young people', sought to identify ways to help young people to optimise their wellbeing and to realise their full potential against a background of often adverse trends in their physical and mental health and wellbeing. The Generations in dialogue project takes up themes discussed in the earlier 'Pathways to success and wellbeing project, namely, the importance of cultural ‘intangibles' to wellbeing, and the role of narrative in their lives. It marries the sciences with the humanities and the arts, quantitative with qualitative approaches.