Youth Week WA runs from 14-21 April 2023 and is the biggest celebration of young people on WA’s youth calendar. This years theme is ‘Becoming: with others we dream’, focusing on how young people can dream themselves a better world.

With injury being the leading cause of hospitalisations and fatalities among Western Australians aged 15 – 34 years of age, an injury-free community is one that we can not only dream but create.^1,2

Young adults experience physical, social and mental developments, which prompt new situations, such as driving, having a job, consuming alcohol and gaining independence from their parents or guardians. These new opportunities, in conjunction with a developing brain, thrill-seeking tendencies and peer influence, can increase the likelihood of conducting risky behaviours and experiencing an injury.³

Local Governments play a direct role in reducing the risk of injury occurring within their local area by ensuring public spaces are free from potential injury risks, regulating the distribution of alcohol at council venues, and maintaining local government roads. In addition to this, Local Governments have the ability to increase their resident’s awareness of what actions to reduce the risk of youth sustaining an injury by promoting injury prevention messages and activities delivered by other organisations.

Why don’t you utilise Youth Week 2023 as a timely reminder to discuss issues that are important to young people, identify solutions to challenges that youth face and celebrate the achievements of young people?

Download our Youth Injury Toolkit to #learn how you can incorporate injury prevention activities in your local area.

To find out how you can get involved in the annual KickstART Festival and other Youth Week activities visit https://www.kickstartfestival.org.au/

References:

1. Australia Bureau of Statistics. Causes of Death, Western Australia, 2021. Australia Bureau of Statistics https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/latest-release (2022).
2. Epidemiology Branch, Public Health Division, Department of Health WA in collaboration with the Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information (CRC-SI). Generated using data from the Hospital Morbidity Data System, Purchasing and System Performance Division, Western Australian Department of Health. Overview of the major causes of hospitalisations by external cause (injury and poisoning) for Western Australia State residents (aged 15-24 years) by gender and condition (2011 – 2015). 2019.
3. Albert D, Chein J, Steinberg L. Peer influences on adolescent decision making. Current directions in Psychological Science, 22.2. 2013;114–20.