Supporting life skills knowledge
Becoming an adult is not something that is attained when you reach a certain age. Alongside the physical and emotional changes, the journey into adulthood involves changes in roles, relationships, expectations and status. The skills to help young people make informed decisions, solve problems, think critically, communicate effectively and cope with and manage their lives in a healthy and productive way are not inherent, they need to be learned.
Responding to feedback
The feedback from children and young people is that they want more opportunities to learn about practical skills, in addition to information about how to approach new and difficult situations. The video format was reported as the most useful method to receive practical life skills information.
The Life Skills series of videos, produced by the Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP), is a result of direct consultations with young people. The videos include real-life advice about topics such as how to manage one’s health, finances, employment and households. A range of experts were consulted for the videos to ensure the content was well informed and tailored towards a young audience.
Help on life’s journey
In addition to the videos, a list of useful resources and additional information was compiled for children and young people on each topic.
Life Skills that young people want more information about
financial management, including budgeting, paying taxes and bills.
seeking employment, including writing a resume and preparing for interviews.
renting a house and somewhere to live, including rental agreements, tenant rights and bond payments.
Perspectives on career and financial outlook for young people
agreed it is hard for young people to find a well-paid job.
agree it is hard for young people to find a job doing what they want to do.
Source: ACYP Youth Week Survey, 2021. Young people were aged 12-24 and drawn from across NSW.
“They need like support in like learning how to budget, learning not to spend all their money just on one thing.”
– Young person, NSW
“A lot of people that I live with or have lived with, people aren’t able to do their own laundry, to wash dishes, to cook, like the basic things.”
– Young person, NSW
Life Skills videos
Career Literacy - Life Skills
Health And Wellbeing - Life Skills
Watch more videos from the Life Skills series