Bridging the digital divide: young people's perspectives on taking action

• Michelle Blanchard, Atari Metcalf, Jane Burns
• Inspire Foundation

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16 October 2008Marginalised young people really do care about political and social issues, but that their day-to-day experiences often make it difficult for them to take action to create change in their communities, according to the findings of this report.

"Taking action" means something quite different to marginalised young people, compared with traditional definitions of social and political participation.

The research found that some of the barriers to participating in social and political action included not knowing how to take action, the attitudes of others and their own personal circumstances and characteristics. For those most marginalised, issues such as safety, personal security and health were paramount.

The research involved focus groups with young people, as well as in-depth interviews with service providers, across Victoria. It explored how young people from a diverse range of backgrounds feel about participating in political and social action.

This report is the second in a series of four that explores the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and its role in improving the mental health of young people who experience or who are at risk of experiencing social, cultural or economic marginalisation.