Youth Research Qualitative Report - District Council of Mount Barker

Cheaper public transport between Murray bridge and Mt Barker (especially important for the
few young people who had been given community housing in Murray bridge but whose friends,
family and education were in Mt Barker).
Some young people attending a private school in the area complained about having to share the
school bus with young people from another school.
Bus services to university and TAFE campuses located outside Adelaide CBD.
4.7 Sport and Recreation
Participation in sport and recreation activities outside school has positive effects on the educational,
social and health outcomes of young people (McLoyd et al, 2009). Unfortunately many young people
lack access to activities outside school because they do not have the financial, human or mobility
resources needed to participate (Williams, et al, 2009a).
Formal sport is readily available to young people in the Mt Barker Council District if they have access
to private transport and can afford the costs associated with fees and equipment. However there
was a general consensus that many of the sporting facilities in the area were rundown and
inadequate for the size of the population. This was particularly the case for the Sport and Recreation
Centre at Mt Barker oval and the Mountain Pool.
I don’t know exactly what the population is, but we are a lot bigger than what our facilities
cater for. (Young man, 17 yrs)
I think it needs a better sports centre. Like the rec centre is a bit old. (Young woman, 16 yrs)
Sporting facilities wise, cricket wise, the nets. They run straight onto gravel, and that’s
disgraceful because obviously if you’re using cricket balls they’re just going to get stuffed up
straight away. (Young man, 17 yrs)
For all participants associated with formal sport (soccer, AFL, Netball, basket ball, cricket etc) their
participation was facilitated by parents. Without resources within the home (time, car and money)
they are unable to participate in formal sport. For these young people, and for those who are not
interested in formal sport, it is essential that they have access to other forms of recreation. If the
community does not offer opportunities for informal recreation, young people will make their own
fun. In some cases this has consequences for the well-being of young people and the community as a
whole.
Female
Everyone, after they finish school, just go straight to McDonald's and hangs
out and makes a mess and it's stupid. If there was a place where the youths
should be hanging out, it would be a rec centre of some sort.
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Needs assessment of young people in the Mt Barker Council District – November 2009