Young people living on the urban fringe
Is it a tale of two cities?
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August 1994
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Abstract
Whilst the advantages of home ownership have long been celebrated by Australian families, are we really 'doing the best for our kids by raising them in outer-urban living environments? This article examines the access of 12-19 year olds living on the urban fringes of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in 1991-92 to education, employment, entertainment and leisure, and compares their situation with that of their inner-city counterparts. Data is drawn from the Australian Living Standards Study conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. The analysis for the article is based on 12-19 year olds living in Berwick and Werribee in Victoria, Campbelltown and Penrith in New South Wales and Elizabeth/Munno Parra in South Australia as outer-urban areas, in comparison with 12-19 year olds living in the cities of Melbourne and South Sydney, as inner-urban areas. The author found key differences in the experiences of urban fringe and inner-city young people in relation to post-secondary education and entertainment but not secondary education or employment.
Whilst the advantages of home ownership have long been celebrated by Australian families, are we really 'doing the best for our kids by raising them in outer-urban living environments? This article examines the access of 12-19 year olds living on the urban fringes of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in 1991-92 to education, employment, entertainment and leisure, and compares their situation with that of their inner-city counterparts. Data is drawn from the Australian Living Standards Study conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. The analysis for the article is based on 12-19 year olds living in Berwick and Werribee in Victoria, Campbelltown and Penrith in New South Wales and Elizabeth/Munno Parra in South Australia as outer-urban areas, in comparison with 12-19 year olds living in the cities of Melbourne and South Sydney, as inner-urban areas. The author found key differences in the experiences of urban fringe and inner-city young people in relation to post-secondary education and entertainment but not secondary education or employment.