New research has examined the severe impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on young Australians. 

The Mission Australia report Young Voices of the Pandemic presents findings from responses collected from young people aged 15 to 19 years between April and August 2020.  

Key findings included:

• young Victorians were more likely to report COVID-19 was the biggest issue and were more likely to be concerned about COVID-19 affecting their education, isolation and mental health compared to young people in other parts of the country
• 41.1% of young people nationally who said COVID-19 affected their education were 17 years old
• 68.9% of young females and 23.9% of young males reported mental health concerns due to COVID-19
• Young people affected by COVID-19 described disruptions to their everyday lives as making them feel worried, stressed and without access to their usual supports. 

Mission Australia’s CEO James Toomey said the findings make clear the breadth and depth of the toll that COVID-19 has had on young people living in Australia.

"Major disruptions to education, increased isolation from peers, family and community, and mental health concerns understandably featured heavily within young people’s responses," he said in a statement. 

"These findings reinforce that many young people in Australia completing their final years of school during COVID-19 restrictions may need extra support to achieve their goals. 

“Despite various levels of government investing in mental health, there are still large gaps in the mental health system that have been laid bare by COVID-19 – particularly for those who are vulnerable or marginalised," James said. 

A total of 18,486 young people took part in the Youth Survey 2020 and the report analyses the responses of the 953 young people. 

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