Young People and Transition to Adulthood
Young people are the most traumatized, disadvantaged, and vulnerable group in Australia, primarily because they have to face the transition phases characterized by numerous changes, such as home care to independent living. The process of growing up has fundamentally changed from how it was in the mid-20th century, owing to factors such as technology and shifting parenting styles (Wyn & White, 1997).
Similarly, experiences of transitioning to adulthood have also changed, with young people experiencing more challenges now more than ever. Additionally, these experiences vary from one youth to the other due to differences in cultural, economic, and social factors (Wyn & White, 1997). As such, scholars and organizations have conducted extensive research on the experience of transitioning to adulthood as well as, solutions to some of these challenges.
The Concept of Youth and Transition
Scholars have, for a long time, studied the concept of youth and more recently, youth as a transition period to adulthood. Compared to previous generations current critics, using family, work, and education patterns identify contemporary young people’s transition as failed and faulty (Wyn & Woodman, 2006). The view of youth as only a transitional period from schooling to employment has gravely impacted the focus on other equally important facets of young people’s transition to adulthood, such as labour policies, education, health, among others, in research. By affirming that the current youth’s experiences of transition are significantly different than in the 1970’s, Wyn and Woodman (2006) concludes that there are newer life patterns that have resulted in an extended transitional period among young people. Instead of perceiving youth as merely an age, Wyn & White (1997) commends contemporary critics who choose to view this as an “age-related process.” (8). This, according to these authors, allows for society to focus on building the youth by social procedures. Even with the existing variations in transition experiences, and the fact that some challenging experience may be non-existent for some, youth as a stage allows for comprehending some of the difficulties in social shifts and relationships between personal biography and institutions. Therefore, youth when perceived as a period of transitional processes “has meaning only in relation to the specific circumstances of social, political and economic conditions.” (Wyn & White, 1997). Comprehending this serves as the initial stages of successfully bringing social implications to the forefront and evaluating important distinctions among the youth as they near their adult lives. As such, the discussion of this transition from youth to adulthood implies that the latter is an arrival state and for the overall process to make any sense, being an adult should also require contemplation in search of a meaning (Dwyer, Smith, Tyler & Wyn, 2003).
Transitioning to Independent Living
Transitioning into adulthoods for most youths involve moving away from home to independent living, making career choices, relationships and marriage, and home ownership. Hillman and Marks (2002) outlines some of the current trends regarding these phases and possible explanations for observed changes. According to their study, young people, especially women are now making the decision to move out of their childhood homes at a later age than before. Additionally, cultural and locational background have become among the leading influences for the overall decision among young people transitioning to independent living in Australia. Young adults who hail from non-metropolitan areas leave their family home earlier, compared to their metropolitan counterparts (Hillman & Marks, 2002). This could be because most career opportunities for the young generation are found in urban areas. Regarding location, young people, especially from regions whose English is not a native language transition to independent living at later ages, mostly influenced by career choices. Additionally, young people from non-metropolitan or rural areas have fewer opportunities as compared to those from urban centers. The paucity of basic needs such as proper transportation and health services disadvantages such young people, especially those without sufficient financial ability to move to metropolitan areas that offer more opportunities and amenities (DEECD & DPCD, 2007). Education on important issues such as mental and sexual health among these young people living in rural areas is also harder to access than in metropolitan areas. Consequently, these variations in access to amenities result in huge differences in how young people from rural and urban areas experience their transition to adulthood.
Racism, Prejudice, and Transition
Young people who are not of an Australian descent, and especially whose skin colour varies with typical Australians experience racism and prejudice which hampers their transition (Wadumestri, 2010). Social issues occurring all over Australia, such as terrorist attacks and other criminal activities have continued to increase stereotyping among some groups. Inevitably, this translates to young people from such ethnicities who have to deal with prejudice and racism. For such young people, transitioning becomes challenging on issues such as having social interactions. In a summary of several Australian longitudinal studies conducted on the same issue, Karmel (2013) states that the issue of transitioning to adulthood, and especially out-of-home stay has now become challenging to a majority of young people as well as, scholars researching the same because of the fluctuating labour markets. He affirms that as long as the labour markets keep changing, issues affecting smooth transitions will continue to affect young people.
Socioeconomic Background and Transition
Family backgrounds, especially economic-wise influence how young people view the transitioning process, along with accompanying experiences. Individuals who come from disadvantaged families view 21 years as the determining age for when they are expected to perform more family responsibilities (Allan, Taylor & Borlagdan, 2013). Furthermore, young people from this batch view the same age as when they enter adulthood. Therefore, family responsibilities, among other factors characterize adulthood according to such young people. Conversely, their counterparts who hail from more affluent backgrounds do not associate adulthood with increased family responsibilities. Akin to these findings, a study on young people’s all-rounded statuses in Victoria asserts that among other factors, socioeconomic backgrounds highly determine a young person’s experience of transition to adulthood. According to this report, young people from poor economic backgrounds are “likely to do less well at school, and to be involved in the child protection and youth justice system.” (DEECD & DPCD, 2007). Additionally, such young individuals have higher chances of dealing with lifestyle diseases like obesity, which affects their overall self-perception and ultimately, experience in transitioning to adulthood.
Social Capital and Transition
The overall amount of social capital available to a young person is also likely to affect this transition period to adulthood. Billett (2011) defines social capital as, “the potential existing in individuals’ networks, which allows them to get on and get ahead in life.”(23) It is, in other words, all the interactions and network of people that enable proper functioning of society. The issue of social capital among the young people serves as a significant part of their lives with benefits such as increased sense of fitting in within their community, reduced delinquency, promotion of understanding within families, offering an increased sense of identity, health improvement, promotion of resilience, among others (Billett, 2011). As such, both non-governmental and government institutions have realized the importance of social capital among young people as they transition to adulthood and are making efforts to increase the same. Among these efforts, concerned agencies should ascertain the distinctions between young people’s social capital and that of adulthood, along with how to measure both factors (Billett, 2012). Additionally, evaluating social capital among young people validates the assumption that this factor is not measurable through everyday indicators. A successful measurement of social capital among young people should be conducted using indicators that are specific to young people, while at the same time, applying rules that pertinent to their life and not that of adulthood (Billett, 2011). Therefore, to completely understand the significance and impact of social capital on young people who are transitioning to adulthood, the role of factors such as culture, gender, and class is essential. A strong social capital eases this period of transition among young people because it offers support from numerous parties. Social capital also helps the transition to employment or determining a career path.
Career Choices and Substance Abuse
Finally, the period of transitioning to adulthood involves selecting a career path. At this point, young people in Australia employ many and varying aspects to determine one’s desired career (Dwyer et al., 2003). This presents another challenge that young people experience while transitioning to adulthood. More often than not, young people are likely to be influenced by factors such as social norms, reflexivity, educational qualifications, social class structure, location, among others, in making career choices (Laughland-Booy, Mayall & Skrbis, 2014). Currently, young people are led by individuality and reflexivity in making career decisions, with those from affluent backgrounds scoring the lowest in the latter factor. Another issue presented in research regarding the transition to adulthood is indulgence in substance use. In Australia, the overall number of youths with drug addiction and abuse issues, including narcotics, continues to rise, with institutions rushing in an attempt to control these statistics (VicHealth, 2001). However, the transition to adulthood can only experience fewer cases of drug abuse when underlying problems that cause the same, such as unemployment and mental health issues are properly addressed.
Conclusion
In Australia, the transition from a young person to adulthood is characterized by various challenges and activities. As such, young people present the most traumatized and troubled group in the nation, owing to the numerous hurdles that impede a smooth transition. Scholars studying this topic have unanimously agreed to perceive the concept of youth as a social process, so as to correctly identify these problems that impact the transition. Activities that characterize this transition include independent living, making career choices, marriage, home ownership, among others. However, most young people find the transition to adulthood a difficult stage in their lives owing to some impediments. This includes socioeconomic background, ethnicity, religion, social capital, location, and fluctuating labour markets. As such, it is imperative that both government and non-government agencies improve their current efforts in helping young people transition into adulthood, by eliminating some of these challenges.
References
Allan, M., Taylor, J., & Borlagdan, J. (2013). Reflections on turning 21: Income, gender and'adulthood'. Youth Studies Australia [online], 32(3), 37.
Billett, P. (2012). Indicators of youth social capital: The case for not using adult indicators in the measurement of youth social capital. Youth Studies Australia, 31(2), 9.
Billett, P. (2011). Youth social capital: getting on and getting ahead in life. University of Wollongong Thesis Corrections.
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD). (2007) The State of Victoria’s Young People.
Dwyer, P., Smith, G., Tyler, D., & Wyn, J. (2003). Life-patterns, career outcomes and adult choices. Melbourne: Youth Research Centre, University of Melbourne, 40.
Hillman, K., & Marks, G. (2002). Becoming an adult: Leaving home, relationships and home ownership among Australian youth. LSAY Research Reports, 32
Karmel, T. (2013). Are we there yet?: overview of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. Pobrano, 24, 2014.
VicHealth Letter. (2001). Young People.
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Wadumestri, K. (2010). Being other: the experiences of young Australian-Lebanese-Muslims.
Wyn, J., & Woodman, D. (2006). Generation, youth and social change in Australia. Journal of youth studies, 9(5), 495-514.
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