Happier in the Hunter: promising findings for young people

Thursday, 22 February 2024

Despite the challenges that young people in regional areas face, new data reveals Hunter youth are happier than their peers in capital cities.

37.7 per cent of the young adults surveyed in the Hunter indicated they felt ‘mostly happy’ compared to 30.7 per cent of people living in capital cities in the same 18-35 age bracket.

Insights gleaned from the study led by the University of Newcastle’s Institute for Regional Futures, show the Hunter is also ahead in closing the gap in First Nations tertiary education and home ownership rates.

Research Professor Roberta Ryan chatting with a smiling and happy student, Emma Dubos

Professor Roberta Ryan with Coastal and Marine Studies student, Emma Dubos, who said she is thrilled she made the move from Sydney to Newcastle. Emma will be part of a panel discussion today to share her positive experiences of living and studying in the Hunter.

Some gaps are closing for Indigenous youth in the Hunter

Lead researcher and Director of the Institute for Regional Futures Professor Roberta Ryan said while tertiary education rates were increasing for all youth, they were increasing faster for Indigenous youth in the Hunter.

“Over a 10-year period from 2001 to 2021, Indigenous youth tertiary education rates across the whole Hunter region increased by 0.11 percentage points compared to an increase of just 0.06 points for non-Indigenous youth,” Professor Ryan said.

“While overall Indigenous youth still trail the average youth tertiary education rate, it is encouraging to see substantial jumps for the cohort.”

Professor Ryan said home ownership rates for young Indigenous people were also on the rise statewide, with notable gains in the Hunter and Mid-Coast, at a time when it’s on the decline for non-Indigenous youth.

“Over the same 10-year period, Indigenous home ownership rates across the whole Hunter region increased by 0.07 points, with rates for non-Indigenous youth decreasing by -0.01 points.

Shedding light on the challenges

Professor Ryan said that while the results painted an encouraging picture for Hunter youth, young people across all areas of Australia, including in the Hunter, are reporting lower levels of happiness and health than older groups.

“We also found that the Upper Hunter has far less industry diversity than other areas across the region. The transition away from traditional industries may lead to a lack of job opportunities for young people,” Professor Ryan said.

Young people and decision makers across key sectors will discuss the findings today at an event hosted by the Institute for Regional Futures in partnership with Newcastle Greater Mutual Group (NGM Group).

The event is the first in the Hunter Insight Series for 2024 and it brings together a wealth of data and the latest research from the Institute for Regional Futures.

“We delve into the social, economic and environmental factors at play in the Hunter and other regions,” Professor Ryan said.

“This research is important for decision-makers to better understand the challenges and opportunities on the road ahead for our region.”

A platform to share youth perspectives

Sarah Williams smiling at the cameraUniversity of Newcastle Law and Communication student, Sarah Williams is one of the four young panellists at the event who will share their views on issues such as housing, migration, and wellbeing.

Sarah is a proud Awabakal woman and founder of What Were You Wearing Australia – a not-for-profit organisation fighting to stop sexual violence.

Sarah said it was amazing to see more and more of her Indigenous peers going to university and succeeding.

“There are a lot of opportunities and support for Indigenous students at the University of Newcastle through its scholarship programs and the Wollotuka Institute,” Sarah said.

The Wollotuka Institute, a dedicated support centre for Indigenous students studying at the University of Newcastle, continues a long-standing relationship with First Nations peoples in the region and beyond. Last year, the University celebrated 40 years of the Wollotuka Institute and recorded the country’s highest enrolment of Indigenous students.

“There is still a lot of work to be done to close the gap in other areas though,” Sarah said.

“Indigenous people are disproportionately more affected by domestic and sexual violence than non-Indigenous people. We desperately need culturally safe support services for Indigenous survivors in the Hunter and NSW.”

Professor Ryan said housing affordability was identified as a major issue for youth.

“Young people in the Hunter have never experienced a healthy housing market. Our data shows young people are more likely to report either wanting to or expecting to need to move compared to older people,” Professor Ryan said.

Shifting migration trends

The study also indicated that more and more young people are flocking to the Hunter, particularly the Lower Hunter.

“Historically, we’ve seen the drift of young people from the Hunter to Greater Sydney,” Professor Ryan said.

“But now we are seeing the opposite.”

As a local resident and entrepreneur, Sarah said she felt the Hunter had a lot to offer young people.

“There’s an entrepreneurial hub right here in Newcastle – the Integrated Innovation Network (I2N). I realised that you don’t need to go to Sydney to be successful,” Sarah said.

NGM Group Chief Customer and Digital Innovation Officer James Cudmore said that the future for young people in the Hunter was looking bright.

“There are many reasons why the Hunter is an attractive place to live, but the key for policy makers and the region’s leaders is to make it an attractive place to stay,” Mr Cudmore said.

“Particularly as the region transitions from traditional industries, education and employment pathways will be vital to ensure young people are equipped to embrace the opportunities the Hunter provides.

“Young people are central to the vibrancy and economic security of the Hunter, and this data shows that we are making positive inroads to securing their futures in this region.”

The full findings of the Regions Matter study will be released by the Institute for Regional Futures in the coming months. As part of this nation-wide study, 3000 people were surveyed to understand why one in three Australians choose to live and work in regional areas. The research also explores how the activities of governments, industries and communities themselves shape the lives of regional Australians.

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