Since 2001, Mission Australia Youth Survey’s has given young people the chance to share their hopes, views and concerns about what is affecting them and those around them. Twenty-five years on, it is the largest survey of its kind, receiving 17,000-19,500 responses each year from young Australians.
Last year, more than 17,000 young people completed the survey, identifying cost of living (64%), mental health (29%), climate change and the environment (27%) and housing and homelessness (25%) as the top issues facing Australia.
The Youth Survey 2026 will ask several new questions, including. ‘What’s one thing that could be changed in your neighbourhood to make your life better?’, and young people’s opinions on barriers to participating in community events and the social media ban.
“For a quarter of a century, Youth Survey has given young Australians an outlet in which to not only communicate their concerns, but suggest changes they want to see,” Mission Australia Deputy CEO Ben Carblis said.
“In that time, we’ve had more than 500,000 surveys completed and while fashion trends might have come full circle, young people’s responses have not.”
In the early years of the Youth Survey, young people’s response to the question on issues of concern showed a shift from issues like alcohol and other drugs, family conflict and body image to coping with stress, school or study problems and mental health.
When the national issues question was added to the Youth Survey in 2010, the top issues included alcohol and other drugs, population/societal issues and equity and discrimination, but the issues young people have identified lately are around the environment, cost of living and mental health.
Carblis said more recent Youth Surveys have seen young people primarily trend away from worrying about the environment to focusing more on housing and cost of living.
“Last year, cost of living was the top concern for the second year in a row and at the highest level since the question was first asked in 2010.”
Results of the survey will be published in November and shared with government, non-government organisations, schools and the public.
Carblis urged schools, community groups, local councils and families to spread the word and encourage young people to participate in Youth Survey 2026.
“For 25 years Youth Survey data has been used by a range of decision makers and stakeholders to inform policies and the development of programs and services that impact young people,” he said.
“We want as many young people as possible to participate in the Youth Survey, so we can make sure we are hearing from young people from a range of backgrounds and experiences across the country.”