Walk a Mile in Our Shoes: Why well-designed Cities and Communities could be Revolutionary for Australia’s Youth
By Thomas | 21 years old | Naarm/Melbourne
I’ve always loved where I live and where I grew up, especially because I was really lucky; my house has never been longer than a 7-minute walk to our local shopping centre. There, I had access to good bus connections, some good food, an op-shop or two, and quite importantly, a place to meet my friends. In other words, I had access to a fair bit of independence even from a young age, based largely on my proximity to my local community.
But, as I said, I was lucky.
Cities aren’t really designed for us; we can’t drive without supervision until 18. Bike paths are few and far between in the suburbs, and walkability is a luxury.
Public transport certainly helps, but its frequency and reliability are really quite location-dependent. Take Melton, Melbourne’s new urban frontier, which is only serviced every 30 minutes by a V-Line train.
But cities don’t have to be this way, and as Australia’s cities continue to grow (Melbourne, for example, is set to reach 8 million people by 2050), it is critical that if we think change is necessary, hint: it is, then we should make that decision now.
What are the kinds of things that we could be building instead? Well, let’s start by allowing for greater density. Australia has some of the sparsest cities in the world, locking thousands out of accessible services, work, or means of engaging with their community. Density can certainly be overdone, but it can be done well.
Secondly, we can help constrain urban sprawl. We don’t need to have cities that expand endlessly. London’s green-belt has ensured the protection of thousands of hectares of green space and habitat. Furthermore, we could increase the necessary presence of public green space, increase the number of cycling lanes and/or paths, redesign intersections to be more pedestrian-friendly, and in some cases make roads car-free.
These changes are important for a great many reasons, from climate to mental health, to economic health, and to public safety, but why are they a youth issue? Well, apart from the fact that everyone is a youth issue (yes, even urban planning), it comes back down to why I was lucky.
Young people deserve independence, and to be independent, they need two key things: access and safety. These are the kinds of benefits that well-designed, accessible communities can provide.
Young people, especially those who deserve the greatest support (including low-SES, multicultural, and newly-arrived young people who overwhelmingly live in the places far away from adequate services), need communities where we can feel connected, and Australia can give that to the countless young people if we act now! They can give us parks, cycling paths, access to friends and family, community support, education, work, space, privacy, and independence. And hopefully, someday, young people won’t have to be ‘lucky’ to have that life.
The views expressed in AYAC’S youth blog are personal and and not an endorsement of AYAC; we value and encourage the diverse perspectives of young people.