Le Va for Youth survey gives insights into Pasifika youth mental wellbeing

Throughout Youth Week from 20-26 May, Le Va celebrated by sharing the results of our youth survey alongside insights from our Youth Advisory Group.

The theme for Youth Week 2024 was ‘Māwherangi a tama roto ka taka, kāpuia ake ka pūrangiaho – We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.’

For Pasifika people, collectivism and togetherness are some of our core values. Our youth are empowered to unleash their full potential when their relationships are flourishing and they are connected to a village of healthy support.

During Polyfest 2024, Le Va carried out a survey that captured the voices of more than 1,150 young people aged 16-24. With a focus on mental health and wellbeing, the survey explored factors that impact mental health, where our youth seek support and possible solutions.

Our survey results showed that 65% of Pasifika youth rate their mental health as good or excellent and 80% feel hopeful about the future. Friends, family and teachers were the most frequently chosen sources of support for youth when they need help.

Our young people reported that the top five stress factors currently impacting their mental health are: school responsibilities; not enough or too much sleep; social media; feeling alone; and family responsibilities.

On the flip side, the top five things with a positive effect on youth mental health are: listening to music; connecting with friends; connecting with family; prayer/reading the bible; and outdoor activities.

The highest ranked services or platforms providing wellbeing support are: Instagram; TikTok; church; youth group; and face-to-face counselling.

At Le Va, we are committed to supporting our youth to unleash their full potential. Investing in the wellbeing of youth now will create a better future for all.

The voices of our young people are essential to the work we do at Le Va for Youth. It supports the work we do in the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of Le Va’s initiatives for young people.

Below are some of the key findings from our youth survey.

• Our data shows that 60% of youth would turn to a friend and 59% to a family member for help, while only 10% would seek help from a counsellor.

• Nearly two thirds of youth (65%) surveyed rated their mental wellbeing as good or excellent, while 30% rated it as okay.

• More than one quarter of our youth identified ‘school responsibilities’ as a current stressor impacting their mental health.

• Nearly half (49%) of youth who participated in our survey selected music as something that improves their mental health.

• Instagram was selected by the most youth (35%) as a platform/service that provides the best wellbeing support, followed closely by Tik Tok (33%). In contrast, Facebook was only selected by 9% of youth.

• Eighty percent of youth who completed our survey reported hope for the future.