Net Savvy: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY)

The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) is a national non-profit organisation of more than 1,500 members (organisations and individuals), working to create better futures for Australia’s children and young people.

ARACY pioneers preventive action to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Their aim is to bring together the best ‘thinkers and doers’ to examine evidence and experience on what’s needed to help young Australians reach their full potential, then they  work collaboratively with their members to move this knowledge into sustained action.

They are one of Australia’s most influential child and youth change agencies, credited for championing evidence informed improvements to many policies, systems and environments that support healthy child and youth development.

The website is full of useful resources on the latest initiatives and research into adolescent wellbeing. There is a section on the site called Media Centre which has the latest media releases on research and other issues involving the youth of today.

The website also has a very interesting section called ARACY Report Card that summarises the Wellbeing of Young Australians.

It provides an international perspective and sets a baseline for future monitoring. Despite Australia’s economic prosperity, Australian children’s wellbeing does not rate as highly as might be expected.

The report card covers 8 areas of health and wellbeing that affect young people:
Material wellbeing
Health and safety
Peer and family relationships
Education, training and employment
Behaviours and risks
Subjective wellbeing
Participation
Environment

There is also a page on publications and resources which contains publications on topics.
Including:
Child friendly communities
Coping with violence
Indigenous
Poverty
Disabilities
Protecting children
Drugs and alcohol
Middle years
Multiculturalism
School readiness
Supporting families

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: ARACY