Insights into the concerns of young Australians: Making sense of the numbers is a new report released recently by Mission Australia's Research & Social Policy unit.

In 2009 Mission Australia conducted its eighth annual National Survey of Young Australians, the largest of it's kind in Australia. The survey asked young people aged 11 to 24 years about what they value, their concerns, where they go for advice and support and who they admire.

The new report sheds light on what the 48,000 young Australians surveyed are most concerned about. To provide a snapshot, these issues were provided by respondents as their greatest concern:

• Drugs (26.8% of respondents)
• Suicide (26.3%)
• Body image (25.5%)
• Family conflict (24.1%)
• Bullying/emotional abuse (23.4%)
• Alcohol (23.0%)
• Physical/sexual abuse (22.7%)
• Personal safety (22.2%)
• Coping with stress (18.7%)
• Depression (18.7%)
• School or study problems (17.3%)
• The environment (16.7%)
• Self harm (13.3%)
• Discrimination (11.7%)
• Sexuality - relationships, health, identity (11.4%)

The new report helps to 'make sense of the numbers' and delves into analysis of these key concerns.  The full report can be downloaded here.