Community engagement on youth addiction: listening, learning, and building partnerships

NCYSUR Associate Professor Janni Leung reflects on the value of researcher public engagement at community events 

Taking our youth substance use research into the community

Much of our research at NCYSUR focuses on substance use and related harms among young people. Inspiring Journeys gave us a chance to take those conversations outside the university and hear directly from the people and communities our research aims to support.

Throughout the day, our team spoke with young people, parents, schools, service providers and community organisations. We talked about vaping and other substance use, addiction, mental health and broader youth wellbeing.

What stood out was how open people were with us. Many were interested in our research, but just as importantly, they were willing to share their own experiences, questions and perspectives.

Listening as well as sharing

One of the most valuable parts of the day was simply having time for conversations.

After the event, the organisers told us that attendees mentioned how much they appreciated speaking with our team, including some about their own lived experience. That feedback meant a lot to us.

For researchers working in youth substance use, these conversations help keep us connected to what is happening in communities. They also remind us that the issues we measure in surveys and analyse in datasets are part of people's everyday lives.

Strengthening our partnerships with the community

Inspiring Journeys was also a valuable opportunity to spend time with organisations we are already working with, including Relationships Australia Queensland, Logan Youth Network and Logan Youth Action Group.

These relationships are important to our research. Our community partners help us understand local priorities, connect with young people and ensure that the work we develop is useful outside academia.

Being together at events like this also builds the relationships that make future collaboration possible, whether that is developing new research ideas, involving communities in projects or working together on funding applications.

Creating opportunities for young people to shape research

A particularly encouraging moment was meeting a young person who was interested in joining our proposed NCYSUR Youth and Parent Advisory Council.

We are currently developing the Council as a way for young people to have a more direct and ongoing voice in our research. Our advisory will have a parents’ stream because we recognise that families have an important role in youth substance use and mental health. Meeting interested young people through community activities like Inspiring Journeys is exactly the kind of connection we hope to build.

Continuing the conversation

NCYSUR received very positive feedback after the event and have been invited to be involved in future activities.

For us, the day was much more than an opportunity to share our research. It was a chance to listen, strengthen existing partnerships, make new connections and ensure our work on youth substance use and addiction remains connected to the young people and communities it is intended to benefit.

We are looking forward to continuing those conversations with people in the community.

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