Youth Resilience Survey

The 2023 Youth Resilience Survey results are now in, giving us invaluable insights to the challenges and resilience young people in Bayside have identified. In addition, results highlight recurring themes across strengths and challenges.

The survey results demonstrate the continued trends of our young people believing in the importance of helping others, having the love, support and encouragement from family, feeling safe in the area they live in and participating in extra-curricular activities. Areas of concern that challenge our young people, include applying communication skills when faced with problems or concerns and addressing sleep deprivation, as well as low energy in our teens.

The Youth Resilience Survey is an online survey providing a confidential environment for young people to tell us how they are feeling.

The data provides opportunity for planning programs and events to improve the resilience of young people and enhance connections with their school and our community.

In 2023 we have partnered with Resilient Youth Australia and 19 local schools, surveying over 4,483 students in Years 3 to 12 to deliver the following results. Gender counts: 2747 of these were female while 1588 were male, 105 preferred not to say and 43 identified as other.

What is resilience?

Resilience is the ability to draw upon the strengths within yourself and from around you to flexibly respond to life while remaining true to yourself and creating positive relationships with others.

Primary School Grade 3 to 6 Summary

Key strengths identified

Primary school strengths years 3-6. 97% think it is important to help other people. 94% are involved in at last one extra-curricular activity. 91% feel safe in the area they live. 88% are eating well to stay well.

97% think it is important to help other people
94% are involved in at least one extra-curricular activity
91% feel safe in the area they live
88% are eating well to stay well

Key challenges identified

Primary school challenges years 3-6. 47% can't talk about things that upset them. 40% do not read for fun. 30% do not forgive themselves when they mess up. 32% are having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.

47% can't talk about things that upset them
40% do not read for fun
30% do not forgive themselves when they mess up
32% are having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much

Secondary School Year 7 to 12 Summary

Key strengths identified

Secondary school strengths years 7 to 12. 97% think it is important to help other people. 91% feel safe in the area they live in. 94% involved in at least one extra-curricular activity. 88% think they are doing pretty well.

97% think it is important to help other people
91% feel safe in the area where they live
94% involved in at least one extra- curricular activity
88% think they are doing pretty well

Key challenges identified

Secondary school challenges years 7 to 12. 42% can't talk about things that upset them. 40% criticise themselves for what is happening. 46% feel tired or low energy. 40% are not getting at least 8 hours of sleep.

42% can’t talk about things that upset them
40% criticise themselves for what is happening
46% feel tired or low energy
40% are not getting at least 8 hours of sleep most nights

Tips on how to build resilience

Promote positive emotional wellbeing
Promote positive respectful relationships
Encourage participation in leisure and recreational activities that promote a healthy mind and body.
Teach Sleep Wellness strategies
Encourage young people to talk to a trusted adult.
Provide information on stress and anxiety management techniques.
Increase praise and feedback to reinforce positive identity and honesty.
Foster strong relationships with parents and families.

Get involved

To find out more about the survey, or if your school would like to get involved, contact Bayside Youth Services on (03) 9599 4622 or youth_services@bayside.vic.gov.au.

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