As NSW celebrates Youth Week 2026 from 16 April to 26 April, I welcome the release of the latest statewide polling, which strongly reflects what young people in our Riverstone community have already been telling us.
This year’s theme — Dream. Dare. Do. — captures the spirit of a generation ready to be heard, and here in Riverstone, that conversation is not just underway — it’s gaining real momentum.
The NSW Youth Week Poll 2026 reveals a generation that may appear happy on the surface, but is facing mounting pressures — especially when it comes to mental health, cost of living, and accessing the support they need. For me, these findings come as no surprise.
Riverstone is home to one of the largest youth populations in NSW, so it’s critical that we listen carefully to what young people are telling us.
In 2024, we brought together students from across Riverstone for our Youth Forum, and what they shared was thoughtful, honest, and incredibly consistent with what we’re now seeing at a state level.
The Riverstone Youth Forum identified mental health, financial pressure, housing affordability, and social disconnection as key concerns for local young people. Students spoke openly about the stress of school, the impact of social media, and their worries about future independence.
They told us clearly that the cost of living is affecting their families and shaping their future — and that’s exactly what this new polling confirms.
The statewide data shows that cost of living and housing are now among the top concerns for young people across NSW, alongside mental health.
One of the most important messages, both from our local forum and the statewide polling, is that young people are not disengaged — they are paying attention and they want to be part of the solution.
Our young people are not sitting on the sidelines. They are thinking deeply about the world they’re growing up in, and they want to be heard.
That’s why our most recent youth engagement event was so important — and such a clear success.
We brought together 23 impressive young people from across Riverstone, each one engaged, thoughtful, and deeply invested in their future. What stood out wasn’t just their intelligence — it was their passion for change and their genuine hunger for knowledge.
Importantly, this forum revisited the issues identified in 2024 and gave young people the opportunity to reflect on what has changed — and what hasn’t. The consistency in their concerns, particularly around mental health, cost of living and future security, reinforces just how urgent these challenges remain.
But what has shifted is their confidence to speak, to question, and to contribute solutions. That growth matters.
These are not passive participants in their own future. They are active, capable, and ready to contribute.
The level of insight, respect, and curiosity in the room made one thing very clear: the future of Riverstone is in strong hands.
These gifted young people are not just attendees — they are becoming the youth voice of this community.
And because of that, Riverstone is leading the way.
I look forward to continuing this work alongside the young people of Riverstone and sharing the learnings as we unpack them together.
