Young people
Information needs and pathways
Some of the key pitfalls identified in communicating to youth include:
- treating youth as a homogenous group across cultural, class/income, geographic and, especially, age groups
- related to this, imprecise age targeting and poor definition of the target at the outset, especially in terms of distribution channels
- failing to get key stakeholders (eg, schools, teachers, state/territory Governments, youth workers, and parents) involved in initiatives and communications
- failure to involve youth in the development of communications materials, either in terms of their active participation in design or in terms of developmental (eg focus group) research
- failing to take into account the social norms and context for decision-making, including when youth make decisions, how they make them and why them make them
- using patronising images and language, ranging from ‘demeaning’ language that underestimates children’s intellectual capacity to trying to be ’too cool’
- failing to think through an effective distribution strategy for communications materials;
- overestimating the level of understanding and literacy among youth, especially in terms of distribution channels (eg, over-use of print materials or the Internet)
- failure to use multiple media channels – a particularly important failure given the cultural fragmentation of youth
- using dictatorial language and imagery (eg, authority figures, parents, Government and schools) in communications
- having unrealistic expectations about potential behaviour change as the result of communications and/or failing to have clear objectives.
Targets: To be effective, communication targets need to be clearly and precisely defined at the outset and should drive the chosen imagery, message and media. Micro-targeting and market segmentation should be used where the target is heterogeneous. Youth targets are particularly likely to be fragmented and heterogeneous, across age, class, gender, cultural and other categories.
Delivery channels: Key perceived success factors in effective delivery channels include:
- utilisation of more than one form of media
- media chosen carefully for their relevance among the target group
- a distribution strategy that is well thought out and not left to chance
- linking media campaigns to other supporting activities (for example, at the school or community level)
- choosing media that can reach the target audience in situations where they are most likely to be taking risks or making decisions
- providing consistent messages over a long period of time.
A ‘systems approach’ to youth communications involves the integration of key intermediaries. This can include youth workers, schools and teachers, youth organisations, and parents. If the target can be effectively reached through schools, integrating the campaign into curricula is seen to be particularly effective. This means that communications need to fulfil a need that is regular within the curriculum.
- Victorian Settlement Planning Committee, Good Practice Principles Guide for Working with Refugee Young People, Department for Victorian Communities, 2005
Marketing your resource
- Develop links with Department of Education, Board of Studies or professional teacher associations. You can purchase a mailing list of teachers from the Board of Studies. The Australian Education Directory provides details of over 850 educational institutions, organisations, associations and key personnel in the education sector. Online ($50); Hard copy ($59.95).
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Reaching young people - making legal information Streetwize / Liz Skelton, General Manager , Streetwize Communications 2002. This paper outlines the process that Streetwize communications uses to identify need and effectively reach young people, particularly disadvantaged young people.
Key organisations
See Just Search database
