Young People, Mental Health & Rona - Asha Worsteling & Rosie Codega

Our guests this week are Asha Worsteling - https://www.facebook.com/AshaWorsteling4Greens - (psychology student, community advocate and Greens candidate in the upcoming Federal election) and Rosie Codega (young non-binary person, recent year 12 graduate and future university student).

*** Apologies for the audio quality in this episode - due to a hiccup with our recording software, we've had to use a low-resolution version. Not to worry, we'll be back to high-resolution next episode! ***

Asha & Rosie’s 3 big things:

• Free Tafe and Uni
• Housing & Rental affordability for young people
• Jobs & Job security for young people

Beyond the Rona Podcast is recorded in Logan, Queensland on Yuggera country. We acknowledge the traditional owners past, present and emerging.

Episode transcript:

Andrea Wildin  0:00

We're recording today on the lands of the Jagera people and acknowledge the traditional elders here past, present and emerging.

Andrea Wildin  0:13

Hi, everyone, welcome to Beyond The Rona. I'm Andrea, Former registered nurse and midwife.

Tim Hill  0:20

Hi, I'm Tim. I'm a small business owner and digital marketer.

Andrea Wildin  0:24

Today we're talking to Asha Worsteling and Rosie Codega, about young people mental health and Rona

Andrea Wildin  0:35

I'm just referring today to an article that was in The Guardian. And I'll just read out a little bit about what it said, it said that the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data [inaudible]... people who are struggling the most... experiencing challenges unthinkable for their parents of the same age.

Andrea Wildin  0:56

It was saying that even before the pandemic, three quarters of Australians with mental ill health were under 25. And our 16 to 25 year olds were experiencing a higher prevalence of mental ill health than their friends and families of any other [inaudible]...

Andrea Wildin  1:13

Covid has compounded the problem significantly. Enduring the lockdowns at this stage in their development, children suffered a loss of freedom, extended social isolation, lack of connection with peers... [inaudible] and denial of celebrating milestones such as the end of year 12. Meanwhile, all around them, their world is an unpredictable place defined by global public health emergency.

Andrea Wildin  1:39

So this generation is going to.. is going to inherit the post COVID world that we create, as well as the world post climate change. And [inaudible]

Andrea Wildin  1:51

I guess I just wanted to have a chat today to Asha Worsteling, who's a psychology student, young person and community advocate here in Brisbane, and the greater Logan area. And also, Rosie Codega, who's a young, non binary person from the Brisbane Logan area.

Andrea Wildin  2:09

Asha, can you tell me what's your experience being a psychology student? And I guess, you know, having experience you know, speaking with other young people, and I know that you were telling me that your brother is graduating this year, what's it been like for young people graduating and going through COVID.

Asha Worsteling  2:33

I think it's just becoming harder and harder for people to create meaningful social networks, which was already kind of happening with people going a lot more online and all that. But this has just kind of compounded it to the point where now most of people's social interactions are online.

[full transcript on Facebook]