Young people’s experiences of economic adversity
Jen Skattebol and Megan Griffiths
Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW
Contact Email:   j.skattebolunsw.edu.au

This presentation explores the experiences and perspectives of young Australians who face economic adversity. The Making a Difference research project aims to better understand what matters to these young Australians in order to better design interventions that make a difference to their lives. To date, 55 semi-structured interviews and 9 small groups have been conducted with young people aged 11 to 17 from economically disadvantaged families. Young people’s stories reveal that they have a multi-layered and nuanced understanding of their circumstances and adopt a variety of complex strategies for overcoming adversity. Many have complex income arrangements in their families and households to buffer the effects of economic adversity. While these complex arrangements are sometimes effective ways of mobilising resources, many of these young people are unclear about the actions needed to navigate the education and employment systems in order to generate more secure longer-term incomes. Furthermore, young people have repeatedly drawn our attention to the poor quality of their physical environments and the impact of these environments on their relationships. The findings illustrate the value of hearing from young people about the interplay of the multiple communities which impact on their lives, and how they attempt to negotiate viable pathways of inclusion and support to escape from a sense of deprivation and exclusion.

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