In the neighbourhood where Rumbi Mabambe lives, the council maintains beautiful playgrounds for the local children, cuts the grass, keeps the gardens looking good and aims to provide fun, safe community spaces.
But, as the Executive Officer for Chain Reaction Foundation and Western Sydney’s Mt Druitt Learning Ground – a behavioural change management centre for seriously disadvantaged young people 10 – 18 years and their families – Ms Mabambe says it’s a completely different situation.
“I just wouldn’t take my child into the playgrounds. They’re not well maintained and they’re not safe,” she told EducationDaily.
She says that might not be a surprise to many people who understand the differences between different suburbs across Sydney.
However, Ms Mabambe told EducationDaily, “what few people realise is just how much of influence neighbourhood dynamics have on the lives of young people”.
Disadvantage creates divides
In the research she has undertaken leading up to her final year of PhD studies in Adolescent Social Cohesion with the University of Technology Sydney, Ms Mabambe says she found the state of infrastructure, playgrounds and adult behaviour witnessed by young people directly impacts their sense of belonging, and how safe and connected they feel in local communities.
“At Learning Ground, our program connects students with peers, mentors, and positive role-models,” she told EducationDaily.
“Every day I see young people who are growing up with a sense of hopelessness. For example, one young person I interviewed for my research believed that nothing good comes out of people, including themselves. Think about that!”
“They had watched relatives who were unemployed, or in jail, and often experienced negative inputs from family who didn’t expect them to be successful. They lived in the local area, and the environment reinforced this lack of hope and optimism.”
She says “it’s a difficult situation for young people like this who also face other pressures common to all young people across Australia – bullying, loneliness, and the negative impacts of social media”.
“In fact, research shows one in five young people are psychologically distressed.”
Inequality has wide-reaching consequences
Ms Mabambe says we’re witnessing the rise of a troubled generation “where inequality and lack of opportunity will have lasting consequences”.
“It’s an issue that should attract more attention across all levels of government,” she says.
According to renowned psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner: ‘There is no more critical indicator of the future of a society than the character, competence, and integrity of its youth.’
“So, what’s the solution? Obviously, we need healthier, safer spaces. We need better physical environments for our children,” Ms Mabambe told EducationDaily.
“And we need more programs where young people can experience a safe community built on relationships of trust, support and acceptance. My team and I believe in our common humanity. We all have challenges, and, in the rhythms of our lives, there are times when we’re up and times when we’re down. The question is what choices do you make during these times, and how can you learn different ways of responding to stressful situations?”
Empowering young people to make better choices
Ms Mabambe believes it is a privilege to work with young people “who rediscover the joy and value of learning, kindness and ways of understanding themselves and others”.
“Empowering young people to make personal choices from a position of strength and understanding is deeply rewarding,” she told EducationDaily.
“But at the same time, we can’t do everything. As a community we need to think about the whole environment in which we’re raising the next generation and ask ourselves, what else can we do to offer young people the hope and future they deserve?”
