Young adults' experiences with Australian public services

In 2020, the Department asked Monash University to research how young people experience Australian public services.

This research happened after the Survey of trust in Australian public services. The Survey found young people have difficulty accessing and navigating services. Young people also report lower satisfaction than other age groups.

The research provides interesting insights into the uncertain pathways to becoming an adult. Public services support young people during their transition into adulthood. The research shows how young people enter, transition between, and exit services. This research is being used to inform efforts across the APS to improve services for young Australians.

There was strong participation from young people in the research. Between March and August 2020, the study consisted of:

• 47 focus groups with 155 young adults (aged 18 to 30) from around Australia;

• 2,261 responses to a national survey of young adults (aged 18 to 30);

• 30,000 social media posts, collected from Twitter, Reddit and Whirlpool; and

• Additional analysis of longitudinal data from The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth and the Our Lives study.