Why an intergener8 Living Lab?
These changes and continuities will be felt intensely by the more than 470,000 young people growing up in Greater Western Sydney as the population rapidly out-grows the availability of jobs, potentially compounding the effects of existing socio-economic inequalities and significantly impacting their quality of life, health and wellbeing. In addition, the number of full time jobs for young people is dropping, part-time work is not increasing and many young people are also not in any form of education or training (O’Neil, 2017). Young people are concerned about these changes: they have low levels of optimism about their future job prospects and a majority feel their job prospects are worse than they were for their parents’ generation (Infosys, 2016). Despite high levels of participation in community and voluntary organisations, online and new issue-based social movements, many feel excluded and that their views are not heard and acted on by those in positions of power (Collin, 2015). Nevertheless, many young people feel welcome and accepted in Greater Western Sydney, they value the diversity of their communities and say it is a place they want to live in (Youth Action, 2017). We need to enable more intergenerational collaboration to tackle these big challenges.
References
ACMA, (2014) Aussie Teens Online: https://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/engage-blogs/engage-blogs/Research-snapshots/Aussie-teens-online
Collin, P., Rahilly, K., Richardson, I. Third, A., (2011) The Benefits of Social Networking Service: A Literature Review. Cooperative Research Centre for Young People, Technology and Wellbeing, Melbourne.
Collin, P. (2015) Young Citizens and Political Participation in a Digital Society: Addressing the Democratic Disconnect, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan
European Network of Living Labs: http://www.openlivinglabs.eu/node/1429
National Mental Health Commission 2014: http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/media/132378/Fact%20Sheet%2014%20-%20What%20this%20means%20for%20economic%20reform.pdf
O’Neill, P, 2017, Youth Unemployment in Western Sydney, Centre for Western Sydney.
Robinson KH, et al (2014), Growing Up Queer: Issues Facing Young Australians Who Are Gender Variant and Sexuality Diverse, Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, Melbourne.
Swist, T., et al (2015), Social Media and the wellbeing of Children and Young People: A Literature Review, West Australian Commission for Children and Young People, Perth.
Third A, Richardson I, 2009, Analysing the Impacts of Social Networking for Young People Living With Chronic Illness, a Serious Condition or a Disability: An Evaluation of the Livewire Online Community, Starlight Children's foundation
Vromen et al, (2016) ‘Everyday Making through Facebook Engagement: Young Citizens’ Political Interactions in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States’ in Political Studies 64(3): 513-533.
Youth Action (2017) Beyond Stereotypes: Young People in Greater Western Sydney. http://www.youthaction.org.au/young_people_gws_report