A hopeful message rings clear from the newly released State of Youth 2025 report: the majority of young people across the Fraser Coast and Hinkler regions are doing incredible things. They’re stepping up, speaking out, and showing resilience and leadership in the face of real challenges but they can’t do it alone. Community support for youth-led initiatives has never been more important.
Published by the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre’s (HBNC) Social Shift Institute, the report draws from extensive data sources, including the annual Fraser Coast Youth Survey, ABS Census data, and state and national data for comparisons. It paints a nuanced picture, yes, challenges exist, but so do powerful signs of motivation, innovation, and strength among young people.
“While the headlines often focus on youth crime and hardship, what we’re seeing here is a generation that’s engaged, ambitious, and eager to contribute,” says Tanya Stevenson, CEO of HBNC. “They’re asking for support, not handouts, but tools and opportunities to make their ideas happen.”
Despite pressures like the rising cost of living, school-related stress, and the housing crisis, young people are volunteering, advocating for change, and actively seeking ways to improve their communities. More than 90% are pursuing further education or work post-Year 12, and youth unemployment has dropped to 8%.
The data also shows high levels of youth engagement in volunteering and social action. From climate campaigns to peer mental health programs, young people are not waiting to be told, they are leading. And where peer-led approaches are adopted, outcomes are improving.
Still, challenges are real. One in seven youth have experienced homelessness, one in ten feel unsafe at home, and one in four identify safety and crime as key community concerns. Nearly half of young people aged 12–18 report school stress as their biggest personal struggle. Rates of chronic illness, mental health issues, and disability are higher locally than the state average.
Yet, these statistics should not overshadow the bigger story: young people are rising to meet these difficulties with courage and creativity. What they need now is a community willing to walk beside them.
The State of Youth 2025 report calls for expanded support for youth services, safe spaces, accessible activities, and targeted mental health and addiction support. But even more critically, it highlights the need to trust and empower youth through collaboration.
“Young people told us again at the Fraser Coast Youth Futures Forum (a discussion HBNC and FC Regional Council partnered to hold with young people following release of the report) that they want to be involved,” Tanya Stevenson says. “They’re motivated, they have ideas, and they’re eager to lead youth-led projects. We just need to provide the space, the resources, and the support to help them thrive.”
The Social Shift Institute community-led support fund is available to back these initiatives, inviting collaborative proposals that can put youth in the driver’s seat. This is a call to action, not just for policymakers and service providers, but for everyone in the community.
Safety. Belonging. Opportunity. These are not just hopes for the future, they are achievable outcomes if we act now, together.
Young people are already doing the hard work. Now it’s our turn to support them.
This article was published in The Turning Point – https://theturningpoint.com.au/
