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Resilience in the face of adversity

Media releases

24 November 2024

Resilience in the face of adversity: six stories of young people navigating the transition from school to work and further study

“The best thing that happened last year was definitely The Smith Family’s internship…It’s given me a lot of insight into the industry, and I met a lot of interesting people.” Eliza

“There were lots of supportive teachers actually…I was struggling with just keeping myself organised and going to school…They helped me organise myself…They helped me just pull my head in a bit and get my priorities straight.” Evan

The latest report in The Smith Family’s longitudinal study of students transitioning out of secondary school and into post-school study, training and work shows the scale and variety of challenges facing students experiencing disadvantage as they navigate the world beyond school.

The fourth Pathways, Engagement and Transitions report (PET 4) Young people’s insights on navigating post-school pathways, provides an in-depth look over time at the experiences of six young people who took part in the research.

“Together these stories highlight the resilience and determination that young people show as they complete Year 12 and transition to life after school,” The Smith Family’s Head of Research and Advocacy, Anne Hampshire says.

“They also help describe the complex and varied nature of their journeys which reflect broader challenges and opportunities faced by young people experiencing disadvantage across Australia.”

Each young person featured in this report experienced socioeconomic disadvantage through their schooling. They all left school during a period when COVID-19 was disrupting many facets of society, including work, study, and training opportunities and experiences.

Some enjoyed school and had positive post-school work and study experiences. Others faced inconsistent and precarious work conditions or struggled to find employment aligned with their

strengths. Others had limited opportunities while living in regional areas. All of these could affect their future opportunities.

Some pursued tertiary study or vocational training, with varying experiences and outcomes. Several young people spoke about mental health challenges that affected their ability to engage fully in their chosen work and study pathways.

“It’s hard to imagine your future when you don’t have all the resources you need to build it,” Ms Hampshire said.

“Young people need exposure to a range of mentors, opportunities and practical supports that can help them understand and plan for the pathways that are available to them.

“The data from this ongoing research reinforces the value of giving students access to consistent, high quality careers support, both while at school and in the key period post-school.

“With experts predicting that very soon post-school qualifications will be needed for more than 9 in 10 new jobs, it’s more urgent than ever for governments – federal, state, and territory – to provide better career pathways advice in secondary schools and beyond.”

“The experiences of these young people also highlight the importance of tailoring support to their specific needs – whether that be practical help such as to get a driver’s licence, building essential

literacy and numeracy skills or access to mental health and disability supports.

What is the Pathways, Engagement and Transitions research project?

Pathways, Engagement and Transitions research is a longitudinal study designed to identify how more young people can be supported to complete Year 12 and have positive post-school pathways.

Over three years (2021–2023), PET followed two cohorts of young people experiencing disadvantage. These young people were in Year 10 or Year 12 in late 2020 and on The Smith Family’s long-term educational scholarship program, Learning for Life.

Research shows educational attainment is associated with positive social and economic outcomes across a person’s life and that those who leave school without completing Year 12 can find the post-school transition difficult.

Over the last decade, school completion rates in Australia have seen at least one in five young people not finish Year 12. Young people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage, or living with a disability, or who identify as First Nations, have lower rates of Year 12 completion on average, than their peers.

With nine in 10 new jobs expected to require post-secondary qualifications over the next decade, understanding the transition from school to study, training or work and how to support more young people to complete Year 12, is essential.

The Smith Family’s Head of Research and Advocacy, Anne Hampshire, is available to talk about the PET research and the outcomes of the fourth report.
Read the full report here.

Media contacts:

Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au

The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 162,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome . For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au