Byron Youth Profile

According to the last census in the Byron Shire there are 3002 youth aged 12-18 and 1578 young people aged 19-24. These make up 15% of the total population of the Byron Shire (30,246).

The median income for people aged 15 and over according to the last census was $200-$299. These income levels are considerably lower than that for NSW as a whole. Byron Shire has a youth unemployment rate of 37%. This is more than 10% higher than the national average. Byron Shire has a higher proportion of one-parent families than NSW as a whole.

The lack of employment opportunities for this age group is a continuing problem. There are 21% of young people in this Shire on Youth Allowance payments.

A recently completed Northern Rivers Regional Report on behalf of the Northern Rivers Social Development Council concluded that:

‘poverty, lack of opportunity to learn or work, and access to affordable transport posed the greatest threats to social capital development on the Northern Rivers’

In a BYS research document entitled Snapshot of the Issues and Needs of Youth in the Byron Shire 2002 interviews with youth workers, service providers, health professionals, educational providers and accommodation workers demonstrate that young people between the ages of 12-15 are most seriously under-serviced and are ‘at risk ‘due to:

• lack of alternatives to mainstream education, for those who are unable to attend school
• lack of respite for families with young people who have mental health issues
• limited access to youth counselling services
• lack of safe medium to long term crisis housing.

For those aged 15-24 lack of access to affordable and flexible transport is a major limitation for those wishing to get to work or training/study out of the Byron Shire.