- Alexandra Whitwam - Youth and Community Engagement Senior Manager, Telstra Foundation
For young people today, life doesn’t happen in separate online and offline worlds. Friendships, learning, entertainment, support networks and opportunities flow across both.
This week, the Telstra Foundation joined partners PROJECT ROCKIT and Orygen Digital at the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association Federal Conference, where we explored what digital life looks like for young people. How they balance the opportunities and the challenges and if needed how young people can access mental health support online and what that means for families, carers, educators and communities across rural, regional and remote Australia.
The panel, expertly facilitated by Margaret O’Brien, brought together leading voices in youth wellbeing and digital engagement, alongside Dakota, a Telstra Foundation Youth Advisory Council alum. Drawing on her experience growing up in regional Australia, Dakota shared valuable insights into the realities of being a young person navigating both the opportunities and challenges of a connected world.
Connection matters, especially in regional, rural and remote Australia
One of the strongest themes to emerge from the discussion was the critical role digital connectivity plays in the lives of young people.
For many young people in regional, rural and remote Australia, digital access is far more than a convenience. It can be a gateway to friendships, education, support services, communities of interest and mental health resources that may not be available locally.
The conversation acknowledged that while there are challenges to navigate online, there are also enormous opportunities. For young people living in remote communities, being connected can mean accessing support, finding like-minded peers, exploring career pathways, building skills and participating in communities beyond their immediate geography.
This perspective sits at the heart of the Telstra Foundation’s commitment to digital inclusion. We believe that where a young person lives should never determine their ability to access opportunities, support or connection. Through our partnerships and programs, we work to help ensure young people have the tools, confidence and access they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Supporting digital wellbeing through partnership
The discussion at ICPA highlighted the importance of providing families and communities with practical, evidence-based tools that support young people’s wellbeing online.
Through the Digital Futures Community Connections webinar series, the Telstra Foundation collaborates with PROJECT ROCKIT to help parents, carers, educators and communities build confidence in supporting young people through the opportunities and challenges of the digital world.
We also focussed on MOST and Mello, two clinically proven digital tools developed by Orygen Digital that support young people to navigate mental health and wellbeing in ways that are accessible, engaging and designed around their needs.
By combining expert knowledge, lived experience and practical resources, these partnerships help ensure young people and the adults who support them have access to trusted information and effective support, no matter where they live.
Listening before leading
Perhaps the most important takeaway from the conversation was the value of approaching young people’s digital lives with curiosity rather than judgement.
Parents, carers and educators don’t need to have all the answers. What young people often need most is someone willing to listen, ask questions and seek to understand their experiences.
By creating space for open and respectful conversations, adults can better support young people to navigate challenges, identify opportunities and build the skills needed to thrive online and offline.
The importance of youth voice
Dakota’s contribution was a powerful reminder that young people themselves are often the best source of insight into what support looks like in practice.
At the Telstra Foundation, we are committed to ensuring young people have a meaningful voice in conversations that affect them. Through initiatives such as our Youth Advisory Council, we continue to learn from young people and work alongside them to shape programs, resources and solutions that reflect their lived experiences.
Our takeaway
The conversations at ICPA reinforced something we hear consistently from young people, families and educators across Australia: digital inclusion and digital wellbeing go hand in hand.
When young people in regional, rural and remote communities have access to reliable connectivity, trusted information, supportive adults and evidence-based digital tools, they are better placed to access opportunities, maintain connections and seek support when they need it.
We thank ICPA for creating space for this important conversation, and our partners at PROJECT ROCKIT and Orygen Digital for their ongoing collaboration in helping create a future where all young Australians can safely participate, connect and thrive in a digital world.
As a young musician in regional Australia, being online wasn't just about being connected. It gave me access to opportunities, creative collaborations and friendships that would have been impossible to find in my local community alone.
- Dakota, Youth Advisory Council member alum
At the Telstra Foundation, we’re committed to ensuring young people have a meaningful voice in conversations that affect them. Through initiatives such as our Youth Advisory Council, we continue to learn from young people and work alongside them to shape programs, resources and solutions that reflect their lived experiences.
Looking ahead
The conversations at ICPA reinforced something we hear consistently from young people, families and educators across Australia: digital inclusion and digital wellbeing go hand in hand.
When young people in regional, rural and remote communities have access to connectivity, trusted information, supportive adults and evidence-based digital tools, they are better placed to access opportunities, maintain connections and seek support when they need it.
We thank ICPA for creating space for this important conversation, and our partners at PROJECT ROCKIT and Orygen Digital for their ongoing collaboration in helping create a future where all young Australians can safely participate, connect and thrive in a digital world.
