YOUTH

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BACKGROUND
Compared with the other seven Australian states and territories, South Australia has the fifth largest youth population with individuals aged under 24 years making up six per cent of the total state figure. However in regional areas the youth population is much greater, making up 33 per cent of the total regional population within the state (ABS Census, 2001).

Youth and transport is becoming an issue gaining increasing attention. Road fatalities and risk taking behaviour has brought a focus on youth and transport although it is a much larger issue. Within regional South Australia, youth have been identified as a key group that experience transport disadvantage. Limiting factors include age for example not being old enough to get a drivers license, lack of confidence to drive or use public transport, lack of residual income, isolation from transport corridors and the lack of public transport services.

Although youth are not a homogeneous group, meaning they have varying needs, they essentially require access to school, work experience, further education, employment, recreation, social, religious and cultural activities. Many youth, particularly in areas where there is a lack of services or ability to access these services miss out on essential services and opportunities.

Transport is also not just about access but an expression of identity. Transport gives independence and enables people to make choices about where and when they want to travel and what they want to participate in. It can give a sense of self-esteem and achievement and represent a symbol of success and adulthood.

INTEGRATED TRANSPORT PLANS (ITPs)
The Public Transport Division (OPT) has a vision for integrated transport. Regardless of who you are, transport should be available and appropriate to community need. Whilst it is not possible to meet every need, the OPT has been working towards integrating transport needs and existing resources into packages of services to avoid duplication of service provision and maximise services for communities.

This approach relies on working together across government departments and non-government organisations involved in transport provision. The Integrated Transport Plans are based on Integrated Transport Studies which focus on the community identifying community need and leadership of the process by local government.

Following a needs analysis, services are identified and developed for inclusion in a package of services that is tendered for provision by a commercial operator. This approach supports commercial operators whilst meeting identified community need. Contracts are held with the OPT to ensure appropriate contract management and specifications requiring ongoing community consultation and service development so that the services continue to change with the community needs.

INTEGRATING YOUTH TRANSPORT NEEDS
In recognising the disadvantages many youth experience with transport, the ITPs seek to not only find out what youth want but also how to best provide for their transport needs. As well as speaking to youth through established groups such as schools and youth advisory committees, a mix of services have been developed to reflect the often irregular and changing travel needs of youth.

Services have been developed that provide both regular passenger services such as feeders into key service centres and to link in with existing transport services to Adelaide and unscheduled passenger services that operate on a flexible basis. The unscheduled services are pre-booked services primarily to social and recreational activities for social inclusion purposes. They are determined between the operator and local council and usually operate on a once a week basis. Regular passenger services on the other hand operate on a regular basis to a timetable and generally provide access to schools, shopping and other facilities.

The importance of providing a mix of services and not just where it would seem logical or most efficient is highlighted in the transport needs of youth. For example, in regional areas it might seem adequate to only have a service into the nearest key service centre. However the need to travel to other centres and facilities is highlighted if there is only one local doctor in that town centre and youth and others feel inhibited to see someone they and their family know. The need to provide options is especially important for youth who generally have limited or no options.

FUTURE CHALLENGES
The OPT recognises that the ITPs will not meet every need. Rather, the ITPs are seen as a staged approach. The transport services are designed to meet the obvious bulk community travel needs such as key movements between and within towns, however as these services are implemented it is expected that other needs will become more obvious and new needs arise. This is particularly important for youth who are given time to become familiar with the new services and can begin to identify travel options.

A key challenge for the future is developing a system of avoiding risk-taking behaviour such as drink-driving. This will include investigating viable and affordable passenger transport alternatives.

Page last updated on March 23, 2005