Research shows that young people who are mentored have lower levels of depression, higher levels of well-being and know how to find emotional support.
   They report greater levels of resilience and feel more confident and are more likely to finish school and make a positive post school transition.
   Mentoring that is consistent and reliable helps re-establish a sense of stability and routine for a young person. Read more

Victoria and NSW children will get an extra year of early education, Victoria's 'pre-prep' will be rolled out in 2025, with 'pre-kindergarten' being implemented in NSW from 2030, each focusing on play-based learning.
  While positive about the programs' impact on children's education, experts say there are some issues to be overcome, like staffing and the quality and form of the education provided. Read more

When I first formed an image of myself as a school principal, I had visions of leading teaching and learning, managing curriculum development, and ensuring that the broad co-curricular programs were in place so that all students could have the best possible outcomes for their time in my school.
   Associating the work of a Chief Executive Officer with a school principal’s role did not come into my thinking or 'across my desk'. Read more

A recent investigation indicated 89 per cent of the educational technology (EdTech) products used may have put children's privacy at risk by tracking their online activity and sharing their data with advertisers.
   The Executive Director of the Cybersecurity and Data Science Institute at Charles Sturt University Professor Ganna Pogrebna, together with her colleagues say algorithmic decision manipulation is the main conduit for privacy breaches. Read more

Companies producing video games - which have become the most significant precedent for the current state of the metaverse - have been crucial in laying the foundations for the present situation. Videogame platforms, where millions of users connect every day, have normalised the use of avatars. The figures for Roblox show how users between the ages of 15 and 25 create more messages on the platform than they send on WhatsApp. Read more

Queer young people in Australia face disproportionate challenges in contrast to their heterosexual peers in key areas such as education, health and employment.
  As a group, young queer people were 71% more likely to face mental health struggles and seek help but, unfortunately, did not receive it.
  Much of the harassment and discrimination they experienced happened in schools. Read more