About Getting Connected

Getting Connected is an initiative of ADRA Australia. Getting Connected applies resilience research to develop resources for use in Australian schools. Our aim is to build resilient young Australians who are connected to healthy and supportive communities.

ADRA Australia's Involvement

ADRA Australia, an international humanitarian organisation, sought research to find out just what the key factors were for building resilience in young people. The answer, in both American and Australian research, was that a young person who feels 'connected' to their community along with significant adults who provide a loving and positive contribution to their lives is likely to be 'resilient'. That young person will remain healthier, function better, perform better and have better relationships than one who feels alone, left out or like no one believes in them.

Youth in Crisis

A quick glance at some of the current statistics regarding youth behaviour will show that there are Australian young people who are in danger through binge drinking, drug abuse, early sexual activity, obesity, depression and related emotional and mental health problems. See youth statistics for more information.

Resilience

Current research strongly indicates that resilience is the key for the health of Australian youth. Resilience is the capacity to maintain competent functioning in spite of adversity or stress. It is the way to describe the ability of a young person (or anyone) to 'bounce back' from negative circumstances or emotional stress. The more resilient our young people are, the better they cope with life.

School Connectedness

Research also indicates that during the adolescent years, a person's sense of connectedness, or belonging at high school, is the most significant indicator for adolescent mental health. With that information, ADRA has launched 'Getting Connected', an Australian project dedicated to applying current research to the development of practical school-based resources.