Youth Research Qualitative Report - District Council of Mount Barker

Encourage more retail that appeals to young people - clothes, accessories, shoes, music, games,
fast food (healthy and cheap). Such retail will also provide more employment opportunities for
young people.
More green space in central areas - somewhere pleasant, central and visible to hang out with
friends
More spaces for young people in existing amenities such as the library, Recreation Centre,
Mountain Pool, mall and cinema complex
Encourage the development of commercial recreation facilities such as a bowling alley
(extremely popular), go cart track or ‘Beach House’ recreation park.
Address the housing needs of disadvantaged young people.
Conclusion
Young people represent a significant proportion of the Mount Barker Council District population. The
consequences of inadequately resourcing young people are felt across all sections of the community.
Young people find it difficult to access opportunities that ensure a healthy and productive transition
through adolescence into adulthood (opportunities to be seen and heard, for peer and
intergenerational social interaction, for sport and recreation, for extracurricular activities, for
vocational experience and employment and for appropriate levels of independence); Parents and
other householders experience increased financial and time demands as they attempt to
compensate for inadequate amenity and transport; communities are diminished by the absence of
young people in the social and political fabric of the community; and community security (actual and
perceived) is eroded when bored or powerless young people act against their alienation.
This report should be read in conjunction with the survey report and the service review being
conducted for the same purposes. The survey report presents findings from a quantitative survey of
young people and parents of young people living in the Mt Barker Council District; the service review
reports on a desk top study aimed at identifying strengths and gaps in service provision for young
people in the Mt Barker Council District.
General recommendation
Develop a planning process that explicitly examines the benefit or impact of any development on
young people’s access to opportunities for social inclusion, social interaction, education, extracurricular
learning, vocational experience, employment, sport, recreation and entertainment, health
and social support, independent mobility and agency (citizenship). Addressing the needs of young
people in the community benefits the entire community.
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Needs assessment of young people in the Mt Barker Council District – November 2009