Indigenous children and youth experience a ‘concerning level of despair’ compared to their non-Indigenous peers, according to an annual survey by Mission Australia.
The survey reveals that Indigenous children are far more likely to have fears about personal safety, drugs, bullying, and discrimination and that nearly one in 10 Indigenous people feel “very sad” about life overall, compared to only one in 50 non-Indigenous people.
Isiah Dawe, chair of the New South Wales youth advisory committee, says there needs to be culturally appropriate, empathetic, and holistic programs built within communities, because it gives a young person a feeling of belonging, hope, connection, fulfillment, and purpose.