FREE │ WINTER 2018
inspired advice for parents of tweens & teens
www.sa-teen.com.au
NICKY BUCKLEY
ON RAISING YOUNG MEN
HEALTH & WELLBEING FOR GROWING FAMILIES
HEALTH INSURANCE
DO YOU EVEN NEED IT?
YOUNG GIRLS &
COSMETIC SURGERY
IT'S OK TO FAIL
TEACHING RESILIENCE
LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL Where to after graduation?
MOBILE PHONES
SHOULD THEY BE BANNED IN SCHOOLS?
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CONTENTS winter 2018
34.
YOUNG GIRLS & VAGINAL COSMETIC SURGERY
20.
LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL Where to after graduation?
(LIFE)STYLE & FASHION 07. TWEEN STYLE Sweet dreams are made of this. Irresistably delicious sleepwear and bedroom style ideas 09. TEEN FASHION Cozy winter fashion for hibernating teens 11. LIFE(STYLE) Show Dad how strong, powerful and important he is with Super Dad themed gifts for Fathers' Day
winter 2018
FEATURE STORIES 12. FAKING IT How teens use fake Instagram accounts to relieve the pressure of perfection 20. LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL School leavers have some big decisions to make after the last bell sounds. We explore some of the options available 40. BUILDING RESILIENCE In our efforts to protect our children, are we taking valuable opportunities for learning away from them?
REGULAR ARTICLES 42. ASK THE EXPERT Should mobile phones be banned in schools? 4 out of 5 experts say no
9. HEALTH & WELLBEING 29. DO YOU REALLY NEED PRIVATE HEALTH COVER? What you need to know before deciding 34. WHY ARE YOUNG GIRLS ASKING FOR VAGINAL COSMETIC SURGERY? Girls as young as 11 are seeking cosmetic surgery for their genitals. What’s going on? 38. BITE BACK Online program helps teens BITE BACK at mental illness
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welcome//winter 2018
EDITOR’S LETTER Even though they might be taller than us, it can still be hard to see our teens as young adults, not little babies. Helping our young adults prepare for life after high school is an important task, and quite possibly one of the last big decisions we will be involved in! Trying to remain supportive and enthusiastic when they say they want to join the circus will be difficult, but with the right approach, guiding your teen into adulthood can be rewarding. We've explored some of the common options in our Life After School Feature, to help you help your adult-to-be make the best decision for them and their future.
Nicole x
MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY AVERY MAGAZINES Editor Nicole Aspinall CONTRIBUTORS Sophie Lewis, Gayatri Nair, Angela Newbound, Joanne Orlando, Mandie Shean, Luke Thurgate, Andrew Trounson, Linda Vining, Karen Willis COVER PHOTO Louisa Jones Photography ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Phone 8182 6253 Email sales@averymagazine.com.au GENERAL ENQUIRIES Phone 8182 6253 Email hello@averymagazine.com.au Post PO Box 715, Prospect East SA 5082 Web www.sa-teen.com.au DISTRIBUTION Romeo's Foodland, IGA & SupaIGA stores, SA www.romeosretailgroup.com.au
NICOLE ASPINALL EDITOR
MP
13.
COVER STORY NICKY BUCKLEY TALKS ABOUT BEING A MOTHER TO YOUNG ADULTS, THE IMPORTANCE OF LETTING GO AND THE EMPTY NEST SYNDROME.
Printed by Newstyle Print © COPYRIGHT All material appearing in SA-Teen Magazine is copyright unless otherwise stated. Copyright may rest with the provider of the supplied material. No part of SA-Teen Magazine will be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. SA-Teen Magazine takes all care to ensure information is correct at the time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any content, illustrations, photographs, advertisements or pricing. Views expressed are not neccessarily endorsed by the publisher or editor.
COVER PHOTO Nicky Buckley Photographer: Louisa Jones Photography
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(life)style//highlight
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Teen girls are struggling like never before. As they try to find themselves, carve out their unique identity and place in the world, they are faced with more scrutinizing and comparisonitis than ever before. They are growing up in an age when their online identity can sometimes be more important to them than their ‘real life’ identity. Shine from Within is the go-to guide to help girls navigate their teen years with a positive, fresh take on self-image and overall wellbeing. Amanda Rootsey brings a wealth of experience not only from her own teenage years but also from her work with teenage girls through her Shine from Within programs. Packed with advice on natural beauty, classic fashion, modern friendships and self-love, this teen manual can help girls gain more self-confidence and self-love.
PROACTIV NOW IN PHARMACIES Proactiv, one of the world’s leading acne brands with over 20 million users, has moved away from the subscription model it once was and is now available in pharmacies Australia wide. The Proactiv Skin Purifying Mask is dermatologist tested and can be used as both a spot treatment or a weekly cleansing mask. With 6 per cent sulfur, it helps clear pores, blemishes and prevent new breakouts.
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winter 2018
(life)style//tween style
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TYPO NOVELTY SLIPPERS $24.99
winter 2018
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(life)style//highlight
HA RRY POT TER FEV ER Twenty years later, and Aussies of all ages are even more in love with Harry Potter than they were in 1998. BIG W recently added Harry Potter inspired pieces to its baby range, which sold out in stores nationwide in just under a week! This time, it’s tweens who will get inducted into Hogwarts, with a huge range of tracksuits, hoodies, t-shirts, pyjamas, leggings and accessories available for 11-16 year olds. There is apparel available for witches and wizards, whether it be Slytherin or Gryffindor that they choose. Jelly Belly Candy Company have also debuted new chocolate and gummi confections inspired by Harry Potter, along with new Chocolate Frog collectible cards and a wild new Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Gift Box.
Know an aspiring young performer? This Spring school holidays, Adelaide school students in years 8–12 can follow in the footsteps of Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann and numerous other stars who have benefited from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts' (NIDA’s) professional performance training with a NIDA Open short course. To support the creative potential of Adelaide’s youth, NIDA is offering four scholarships to cover the cost of the Spring holidays course tuition fees. ‘We are offering the scholarships to improve access for all young Australians to NIDA Open programs. You don’t need to have previous performing arts experience to apply, all you need is a strong desire to bring some inspirational acting training into your life’ said Tricia Ryan, Head of NIDA Open.
PRINCESSES CAN RESCUE THEMSELVES
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
NIDA visits Adelaide from Monday 8 October to Sunday 14 October at Scotch College, Torrens Park. The year 8–10 scholarships cover tuition fees for the Stage & Screen School course and Acting Boot Camp course and the year 11–12 scholarships allow two students to complete both Acting Boot Camp and the NIDA Audition Preparation course. >> For full details go to www.open.nida.edu.au/adelaide-scholarships or contact NIDA Open on 1300 450 417 or email at open@nida.edu.au
Renowned girl hero and feisty author Susannah McFarlane presents an illustrated collection of 'tilted' fairytales featuring feisty girls with smarts. Watch Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Thumbelina create their own happily ever afters in this beautiful and emboldening bedtime book featuring artwork from leading Australian illustrators. >> Available soon from all good book retailers RRP $24.95
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(life)style//teen fashion
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cute & cosy
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critters
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DURING THE COLD WINTER MONTHS WHEN NIGHTS ARE LONG AND TEMPERATURES ARE LOW, NOTHING SEEMS MORE INVITING THAN HUNKERING DOWN IN A COZY DEN. CHECK OUT THESE STYLISH HIBERNATION ESSENTIALS FOR TEENS
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www.moda.com 1. RACCOON KNEE SOCKS $19.95 2. ORIGAMI FOX EARRINGS www.melanieaugustin.com 3. SEED WINTER BUNNY COSMETIC CASE $16.95 4. ZARA GIRLS BRAIDED MESSENGER BAG $31.99 5. ADORN THE FAWN KNEE SOCKS $19.95 6. MYER MISS SHOP PANDA BEANIE $29.95 7. COUNTRY ROAD GIRLS CHEVRON KNIT SCARF $39.95 8. UGG AUSTRALIA KIDS LONG BRIGHTON $119.95 9. COTTON ON CRITTER CLIP FOX OR RACCOON $6.95 a pair 10. GLITTER BEAR HEADBAND $11.95 11. SCOTCH & SODA MITTENS $49.95
winter 2018
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(life)style//highlight
SNACK WITH ATTITUDE To help ensure growing bodies are snacking on the right things when the mid-morning or 3pm munchies hit, SPC have launched a new pouch pack range especially designed for busy tweens and teens (7-15 years). The new SPC FRUMAX range is the sleekest snack for the sports bag or lunchbox with an attitude to match! The ultimately chunky formulation with real fruit can be devoured by active kids with a mouth-watering variety of flavours including Apple, Strawberry & Raspberry, Apple & Orange, Apple & Pineapple and Apple, Peach & Apricot. YUM!
WIN!! A PLAY POUCH VALUED AT $69! The original Australian owned & designed Play Pouch is the ultimate toy storage bag & play mat. Designed with love & style, the printed range ties in with current interior design trends & will look great in your home! Approximately 145cm in diameter & featuring a handy pocket & zip for hard to find pieces or treasures, it's ideal for Lego, cars, craft & more! SA-Teen magazine is delighted to offer readers a chance to win a Play Pouch valued at $69. >> Email hello@averymagazine.com.au with the subject line “PLAY” and include your name, address and phone number. Competition closes 30/09/18. Winner will be announced and notified in October. Follow us on Facebook to find out if you're our winner.
Pearls of wisdom for Aussie families A new series of concise books crammed with life hacks for struggling families are full of wisdom and advice and help generate meaningful conversations. Each title covers either a stage of development, situation or life change that can pose universal challenges for both adults and children. >> Each of the Being A… books costs $26.99 RRP and is available from bookstores and Kidstuff. www.beaglierbooks.com.au
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winter 2018
(life)style//father's day
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(life)style//social media
FAKING IT HOW TEENS USE FAKE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE OF PERFECTION
F
ake Instagram accounts, often referred to as “finstas” or “spam accounts”, have become the norm for many teens – but their reasoning for creating these is not as sinister as you think. I’ve spoken with 50 Australian families – including 118 children aged 1-18 – about technology use, and am currently conducting a followup qualitative investigation with a further 25 teens about their social media use. The data for both studies will be published this year. My investigations show that teens’ use of social media is constantly shifting in new ways in response to changes to social media platforms, the teen’s age and social context. Social media continues to be a significant aspect of adolescence; the right information and guidance will ensure that use is positive and healthy.
TEENS LOVE INSTAGRAM Among my sample, teens often have access to multiple devices that usually include a mobile phone and a laptop. They typically dedicate their laptop use to school work, and their mobile phone use for all other parts of their life – such as socialising, connecting with family, and following interests.
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Joanne Orlando Researcher: Technology and Learning, Western Sydney University
Teenagers also use their phones for some aspects of school learning, including accessing school resources, information and connecting with class peers. Instagram is the most popular social media platform for teens: data from the United States shows that about 76% of this age group use it regularly. My current research shows that on any given day, a teen accesses Instagram around 10-30 times. They check likes, comments, share stories, view their friends’ latest posts, and follow their interests.
A distinctive trend in Instagram use, something that can go under the radar, is that teens increasingly have more than one account. Teens will often have a “rinsta” – a real Instagram account – and a “finsta”: a fake or second account. The rise of the finstas (sometimes referred to as “privates” by teens) began in 2017 when for the first time, Instagram allowed users to create and switch between multiple accounts. Unlike other social media platforms such as Facebook, which states “it’s against Facebook Community Standards to maintain more than one personal account”, Instagram has embraced multiple accounts. Since that time teens have also embraced them, with ownership of numerous “alternate” accounts now common for this age group. Teens do not typically set up finstas in their own name, but instead use a fake name or the name of an entity such as their favourite character. The idea is that the accounts cannot be traced back to them.
THREE WAYS TEENS USE FAKE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS Adults may be inclined to assume that finstas are created by teens to hide scandalous and/or overtly sexual behaviour. However, that’s not necessarily the case. Growing up in the social media era, members of this age group are acutely aware of the pressures on them to create and maintain the picture-perfect online profile. Finstas are often strategically used by teens as a tool to relieve this pressure.
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There are at least three reasons why teens create finsta accounts:
THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON PURSUIT.UNIMELB.COM.AU
1. FOR THEIR REAL FRIENDS Teens commonly create finstas as a space to show their silly or more vulnerable side with close friends, without being judged by others. It is not uncommon for teens to have thousands of Instagram followers (many of whom they don’t know personally), and the potential for criticism on such accounts is rife. A finsta account however may have less than 30 of their close friends. In my own study of teen use of social media, 17-year-old Tommy stated he used his finsta account to post funny pictures just for his friends. He said he would never post those pictures on his real Instagram because he wouldn’t want everyone to see how goofy he can be.
2. TO ENJOY PRIVATE INTERESTS Some teens use finsta accounts to privately enjoy interests they feel others may judge them by, or bully them about. For example, a teen boy may be an avid fan of a TV series that primarily has a female fan base. The teen may use his finsta account to share his interest with like-minded fans, he may even set it up to give the impression that it is a girl’s account. With this purpose, teens can feel free to enjoy their interest, or try new ones, without being worried that someone will mock them.
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(life)style//social media
Private, less visible accounts allow teens the opportunity to move away from the carefully cultivated, public persona on their real Instagram account – and present a rawer, “this-is-the-realme” personality to a smaller group of closer friends. The friends that teens select for each of their finsta accounts depends on the type of content they want to post on there.
Parent-child conversations
3. TO BOOST THEIR OWN POPULARITY Teens may also use finstas as a way of boosting their real Instagram accounts, for example using them to likes posts or add flattering comments as is seen with YouTube activity.
Implications for teens A benefit of finstas is that they allow the focus of teen’s social media use to shift in a positive way. They can move away from posting perfect photos, and garnering high likes and quick compliments, to a focus on presenting themselves and their ideas in a less edited and more authentic way. Their use of these accounts can potentially give teens more control over their digital identity, protecting themselves from users viewing and possibly misinterpreting their posts. It also allows teens to get more perspective on what their friends are doing, especially after combining the information from their “official” accounts and their more authentic finstas. On the flipside, however, these accounts usually engage with a closed circle of friends, so inappropriate content – such as sexual or highly intimate remarks and posts – can (and does) get posted. Semi-anonymous and closedplatform posts also bring the potential for bullying, sexting, revenge posting, illegal activity and amplified drama that can easily spill over from finsta into other social media accounts and real life.
Conversations with teens about social media are always important and should be a regular part of digital life. Open conversations between parents and children can build a healthy digital existence. from www.shutterstock.com As finstas are generally set to private mode, teens may feel protected – that what they post is private. However, it’s important to remember that the same rules apply to finstas as to all social media: there is no way to monitor who physically sees a post. A private setting does not protect you from a screenshot being taken of the post and distributed – nor does it stop someone that you’re not “friends” with physically looking at content on your account, perhaps on another persons’ phone. Additionally, you are always trackable online somehow. Even if you are using an alternate username, a screenshot of the post may still be tied to your name in a Google search result. Whether real or fake accounts, the message to teens about social media should consistently focus on always being in control of your own reputation, sharing things online that reflect the real you, and thinking of the long-term implications of posts. Real or fake accounts – the rules stay the same.
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cover story//nicky buckley
NO NONSENSE
NICKY
by Gayatri Nair
FROM TRAILBLAZING MODEL TO NO NONSENSE MUM, NICKY BUCKLEY TALKS TO SA-TEEN ABOUT MOTHERHOOD, LETTING GO AND THE DREADED EMPTY NEST SYNDROME.
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MOTHERHOOD Nicky’s famed life followed a predictable trajectory - a famous model, well-loved television presenter, and a mother. It was a course that the 52-year-old planned meticulously. “After working in the glamour industry for many years, I felt it was the right time for motherhood, and at the age of 31, I gave birth to my first son, Cooper. I never had a 9 to 5 job, and the flexibility of the gigs I took on gave me the freedom to juggle both motherhood and work pressures,” she says. Unlike many younger mothers, Nicky remembers that she wasn't scared of her looming pregnancy. “I was thoroughly excited, and thrilled. It was probably the most anticipated moment of my life. I couldn't have made it through without the support of my wonderful husband. After Cooper was born, Murray would take over whenever I was overwhelmed or needed space,” she adds. Nicky’s first son was born 21 years ago; two decades that went by in a flash, she says. "Time passed by so quickly! I did get a lot of advice from my mother and others about parenting and its intricacies. However, until you have been on the parenthood journey, it is hard to comprehend the process,” she explains.
cover story//nicky buckley
I
n the mid-1990s when the hugely popular game show Sale of the Century first beamed onto our television sets, a star was born. Nicky Buckley, the co-host of the program, became one of the most famous faces of Australian television captivating audiences with her beautiful smile, articulation, and lithesome figure. Her professional life was peppered with successes, co-hosting Channel Nine Melbourne weather updates, competing in Dancing With The Stars, launching numerous products and modelling for hundreds of well-known magazines. Almost two decades later, Nicky still turns heads and effortlessly manages to capture onlookers’ attention with her effervescent personality. However, it is when she sits down to talk about her family comprising her husband Murray Bingham, and three sons Cooper (21), Jasper (19), and Baxter (15) that she truly comes alive. In a conversation with SA-Teen, the lovely mother talks about her journey into motherhood, the importance of letting go, and dealing with the dreaded Empty Nest Syndrome.
“Living in a house with three kids under the age of seven was like living in a bubble. Seeing them grow into fine, young men through some crazy formative years feels surreal. I look at them and wonder where all those years went? Then I think of all the love and joy they have brought into our lives, and I know, if given a chance I would do it all again," she says. Nicky’s second son, Jasper, quickly followed. “I found out I was pregnant with Jasper when Cooper was only 6 months old. We joked that it was a miracle because I wasn’t ready for another baby, and as they were quite close together in age it was like having twins!”. A few years later, we were ready to expand our family, and Baxter was born,” remembers Nicky fondly.
"I worry about them going to parties, being on the road, or travelling alone, but I know they should be given the freedom to explore, make mistakes, learn lessons, and evolve into stronger and better human beings" TIME TO LET GO As the mother of a teenager and two young adults, one of the hardest challenges for Nicky was to let go and allow her kids to explore their individuality. “Teenagers and young adults mostly think about themselves; can be stubborn, rebellious and often try to exert their dominance over their parents. Their behaviour is no surprise, after all, we have all been through that phase."
PHOTOS Louisa Jones Photography
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cover story//nicky buckley
TIME TO LET GO Nicky's smart, sensitive and intelligent young men are growing up and exploring the world
"As a mother, I am worried about them going to parties, being on the road, or travelling alone, but I know I cannot dictate their lives. I cannot hold them back by force, and they should be given the freedom to explore the world, make mistakes, learn lessons, and evolve into stronger and better human beings,” says Nicky. She adds, “As my boys stepped into the teen years, I knew some things would be out of my control. But we brought up smart, sensitive and intelligent young men, and I had to trust that upbringing. And there’s no point stressing over things that may never happen.” Nicky's trust in her boys enabled them to travel the world young. “Cooper left for England to play cricket and work there for some months after he finished Year 12. Jasper soon followed suit, travelling the world, meeting interesting people, establishing important contacts. Standing there at the airport and seeing my little boys walk away was extremely hard and emotional. So many questions whirled around in my mind - will they be safe? will they manage? However, I knew the time had come for me to let them go and for them to exercise their creativity, independence and individuality. I simply couldn’t come between them and their plans,” she says. Nicky adds that another important lesson she learnt as a parent was to keep the communication channels between her and her sons always open. “The boys knew they could come to us for any advice. It is important for a parent to show that they are always available for a chat with their children. It is like talking to a friend - listening, assessing, and responding," she says.
DIFFERENT BUT SAME The former model says that though her boys are as different as chalk and cheese, she impartially employed the same parenting guidelines for all of them. “Sometimes people say the youngest child gets different treatment from the parents because the eldest paved the way. That was simply not true in our case! We have always been strict with our guidelines.
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“My sons recently told me I was one the strictest mothers around. I know I have been quite stubborn about certain rules but I don’t care, sometimes you must put your foot down" There are certain dos, and dont's in the house, and though we may be quite liberal in other things, these rules are pretty much nonmalleable,” she says. “We expect a certain standard of behaviour from our sons, and that’s non-negotiable. My sons recently told me I was probably one the strictest mothers around. I know I have been quite stubborn about certain rules but I don’t care, sometimes you must put your foot down," she adds. Though Nicky encourages strict adherence to specific guidelines, she is averse to instant punishments.
winter 2018
EMPTY NEST SYNDROME “I am petrified!” says Nicky when speaking about her kids moving out of the family home. “My sons and husband – that’s four men - are home right now, making it loud and boisterous! I love it, but I know soon my sons will be on their way out, pursuing their careers and individual goals. It is a sad thought, but it is an eventuality that I will have to prepare myself for” she says. However, Nicky adds, it is imperative not to project your longings onto your children. “My mother was the only child, and she always craved a big family. She gave birth to six children, and her life revolved around us. I remember how overwhelmed I felt seeing my mother's desperation to be with her family. I promised myself that I would never replicate the same behaviour. I don’t want my children to visit me out of obligation, but because they want to,” she says. Busying yourself with other activities and hobbies is a wonderful way to beat the Empty Nest Syndrome says Nicky. “My children are my life, but ultimately they will leave. I have to make sure that I have other things to fret over like hobbies, passions, activities. You can't enjoy your life through your child forever" she says. "Investing your time and energy into other avenues after your children have left the family home sets a good example. It shows children that their parents are living happy, contended, rewarding lives,"
cover story//nicky buckley
“Sometimes in rage, we put down consequences that haven’t been thought through or are hard to take back. It is difficult to rationalise a glaring mistake, but it is also important to calmly think things through. Sit with your kids and explain to them why their actions were wrong, and what are the possible consequences should they repeat it,” she says.
“My children are my life, but ultimately they will leave. I have to make sure that I have other things to fret over. You can't enjoy your life through your child forever" Nicky’s nuggets of parenting wisdom and her pragmatic approach to life and parenthood are well-documented in her popular memoirs, Nicky Buckley: A Memoir. “The book was a result of numerous mid-life crisis stories I was hearing from people around me. I wanted to pen a book that would implore the readers to follow their dreams, never settle, and to stay true to their values. There was also a selfish reason behind writing the book. My kids now have hardbound copies of the memoir documenting the first half of my life with pictures that they can share with their families. I liked that idea!” she says.
CELEBRATING PREGNANCY In 1997, Nicky became an overnight feminist sensation when she chose to wear an elegant, form-fitting evening gown with a heart shaped cut-out on her growing stomach on television. “I was four months pregnant when I wore the gown. Soon after the show, the channel was inundated with angry callers demanding that I be sacked. I did not anticipate a backlash at all" says Nicky. “Lisa Barron, a fantastic designer and a close friend, designed the dress. She knew I was pregnant and thought we could celebrate the wonder of motherhood through the gown," she explains. Despite the controversy, Nicky says she wouldn’t mind reliving the moment again. “I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. I was pregnant and was happier than ever! I thought the negative press was crazy. There were absolutely no question of me stepping down. I came from a working-class family; we had mortgages to pay and a baby on board, I couldn’t just stop working because some people weren't happy" she adds.
BALANCING IT ALL Even though she became a mother at the height of her career, Nicky says she never found it too difficult to balance family and work commitments. “I used to work with many companies like the Nine Network, but I ensured that the gigs were spread out so that I could be there for my babies. Also, programs like Sale used to be shot over a period with adequate intervals in between, and that gave me enough time to be with my kids," says Nicky. She adds, "I never felt that I had to live up to others' standards, just mine, and that made me put less pressure on myself." Nicky currently has numerous exciting ventures on her plate. "I do a lot of emcee work for various corporates. I am also working with a skin care company, and planning on starting a project of my own soon. I have always enjoyed variety in my life, and my work profile reflects that," she says. So, will we see Nicky on the small screen again soon? "Only if an offer comes along that is challenging enough," quips the glamorous mum. Connect with Nicky: www.nickybuckleymc.com.au Instagram @nickybuckleyofficial Facebook @NickyBuckleyOfficial
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LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL Leaving high school behind can be both an exciting and daunting time for teens. With the world at their feet, they have many options before them.
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special feature//life beyond school
FINANCIAL TIP: There are payments available for students and trainees that can help with study costs. Full time students or apprentices might be eligible for Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY.
University
T
he majority of school leavers don’t know exactly what path they want to take immediately after finishing their studies, so if your teenager only has a vague concept (or even no idea at all!) this is perfectly normal, and nothing to stress about. Most decisions can ultimately be reversed if it turns out to be the wrong path for them – so don’t worry too much! If they enter the workforce and hate it – there is always other study options to explore. If they find themselves at university, studying the wrong thing, it's usually an option to transfer degrees. Remember – their whole life is still ahead of them, this is just the beginning!
To get into many courses, high school graduates will need a certain ATAR score. No ATAR? No uni offer? Consider a bridging course. In many cases, these allow students to jump straight into their second year. SAIBT is a pathway to many degrees at UniSA. University is a significant commitment of at least 3 years of pretty intense study. It's necessary for certain careers but many jobs don't require a degree so explore employment opportunities or alternative training options for your chosen pathway too. Uni can also be a costly exercise. Financial HELP is available in the form of the Higher Education Loan Program which can lessen the initial financial burden but will also lead to a HELP debt that has to be paid back. >> Profiles on all Australian universities are available online at www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au
Vocational Training
FURTHER STUDY Some students do not want to lose the study momentum from high school and immediately pursue a university degree or vocational training. Obtaining an educational qualification after high school gives school leavers the chance to learn independently. Further study introduces teens to life-long friends with common interests and provides the opportunity to pursue a wider range of career possibilities after they graduate.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) emcompasses the different pathways available to a range of industries and careers without university. This includes TAFE and other Registered Training Organisations (RTO) where you can earn a certificate or diploma. There are certain jobs that demand special training and need a qualification not available at university, such as plumbing, electrical work, hairstyling and beauty, IT, or even nursing. Certificates and Diplomas are often quicker and cheaper to achieve than degrees but sometimes require up front payment. >> Visit www.myskills.gov.au for more information about nationally accredited training courses available.
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THE “GAP YEAR” Many students take time 'off' after school, using their gap year to work, travel or volunteer. This offers teens a great opportunity to gain mind-expanding life experience and discover more about themselves after years of the stresses of school. If your teen is talking gap year, don't worry - students more often than not use this time well; they volunteer, travel, even start businesses. Some research indicates that young people who take a gap year are even more likely to successfully complete additional study when they do decide to return to it.
APPRENTICESHIPS Apprenticeships are available for over 500 occupations. If the idea of study, training and earning an income at the same time appeals, an apprenticeship could be the way to go. Along with hands-on experience and on-thejob training with practicing professionals, Apprentices get to earn while learning, taking home a pay for study. >> Read more on the Australian Apprenticeship website at www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au
THE WORKFORCE There are advantages to moving directly into a job after high school including earning potential, real-life experience and employability, career exposure and responsibility. Those looking to enter the workforce should start with a strong resume and practise interview skills. Consider exploring options and gaining confidence by doing some work experience or volunteering before jumping in. Teens may already have had a high school job. This is usually casual work - which means flexible, minimal hours wth no sick or holiday pay but a higher hourly rate. Part-time roles offer more security but less flexibility and may only require a few hours or days a
week, whereas full-time employees can expect to put in around 38 hours each week. Of course, this option means earning money immediately and starting to contribute to a superannuation fund for retirement (Believe it or not, it's NOT too early to start thinking about that!) but it also means lodging and paying taxes. Check out the JobActive website for help gaining employment. >> If you’re looking for work after school, you might be eligible for Youth Allowance as a job seeker.
Still not sure? If you're still not sure what to do next, have a think about your strengths. Consider what you’re good at and enjoy. Write a list or talk about it with your friends, family or teachers. Try the career quiz on the Job Outlook website. It can also give you an idea of the type of qualification you need for jobs that match your interests. Once you have an idea of what you’re interested in or good at, use this to help decide your next move.
Getting through your last year of school and taking that next big step can be stressful. If you’re struggling or want to speak to someone, you can contact Headspace. They offer mental and physical health support for young people. www.headspace.org.au
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special feature//life beyond school
THE FUTURE OF WORK HUMANS & MACHINES WORKING TOGETHER
T
he future is going to be better than you think. That might be hard to believe given the constant stream of dread in the daily news, and the fear about jobs. But mankind's future may not be as bleak as we fear. Kirk Drage, entrepreneur-inresidence at the University of South Australia, says the new economy offers opportunities in every industry. “Work has shifted from doing work to creating automation that does the work for us, providing more reliable services and products that make for better living.” “We are on the cusp of a revolution - the fifth industrial revolution where robotics and mechanisation are essential tools and data and software are driving industry.” “Anything that is routine can be turned into data. Equipped with artificial intelligence, computers have minds so they can make decisions and direct robots to do the work. We see this happening across every industry - self-driving cars and drones are improving the efficiency of transportation and delivery services, robotics and 3D printing are adding value to manufacturing.” "While large companies are shedding jobs, new companies are creating jobs. Think of sustainable futures in energy, such as battery storage, which is data driven, and the desalination of water in remote areas which will make farming lands arable." “When humans and machines work together, innovation is unlimited, problems are solved and exciting possibilities emerge,” said Kirk.
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Where are the jobs? In Australia, changes to key employment industries are already underway. Employment in the services sector has experienced strong growth – with expansion in healthcare and social assistance. Retail, professional, scientific and technical services are strong. But manufacturing is in steady decline and routine jobs, which include labourers, machinery operators and drivers and clerical workers, have been highly susceptible to automation, a trend set to continue in the future. Research estimates that 40 per cent of jobs in Australia are at high risk of being automated in the next 10 to 15 years. Growth is in the non-routine industries, those requiring innovation. Exponential technologies are enabling upstart entrepreneurs to go from "I’ve got an idea" to "I run a billion-dollar company" far faster than ever before. So how do your get there?
4 ways equip yourself for work in the future As economies become increasingly complex and globalised, and new technologies are bringing about unforeseeable disruptions to the world of work, the types of skills that young people will need to thrive in the future workforce are changing too. Here are 4 talents a young person needs to develop.
1
Knowledge is crucial. Studies in numeracy, literacy and STEM provides the fodder so do your best at school and develop superior skills in finding information,
interpreting it, utilising it and knowing how and when to act on it, so that you can convert knowledge into meaningful action in a range of different settings.
2
Develop your digital skills and confidence in computer literacy and coding and link up with or initiate coding clubs. Join international coding challenges and initiatives and seek out opportunities to trial and test new products and services, such as apps and websites. Create your own apps.
3
Pay attention to your noncognitive capabilities. Employers are increasingly seeking people with critical thinking and problem solving aptitude. They are looking for applicants who show curiosity and an ability to negotiate with others and form creative partnerships. At school practice how to operate in a team, manage conflict and resolve differences.
4
Interpersonal communication, entrepreneurial skills and teamwork are desirable qualities to demonstrate, so undertake tasks that show your experience in these areas. Volunteer in the holidays, get a part-time job, join clubs and take on leadership roles that demonstrate your creativity, problem-solving abilities and relationship skills. By Dr Linda Vining, a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators winter 2018
CHANGING PEOPLE'S LIVES Adelaide Training and Employment Centre’s (ATEC) trade training division offers flexible, quality, nationally recognised training in the traditional trade areas of Civil Construction, Construction, Electrical and Engineering as well as offering a wide range of short courses such as White Card, Forklift and Health and Safety Representative.
A
TEC has been in operation since 1989. From fledgling beginnings in a small building in Largs Bay, over the years ATEC has grown to have three training facilities across Adelaide in Port Adelaide, Ottoway and Lonsdale. Providing high quality Training and Group Training services in both metropolitan and regional communities throughout South Australia, ATEC is one of South Australia’s quiet success stories. All ATEC staff are passionate about the provision of the highest quality training to ensure that students leave with the maximum potential to be the best that they can be, by utilizing the skills and knowledge that they have obtained through their time with us. ATEC Trainers are all highly skilled in their field of delivery,
are industry experienced and strongly focused on “Changing People’s Lives” as each student begins his/her journey of study. Additionally, ATEC Group Training provides a ‘one stop shop’ for employers where flexibility in the recruitment and training of the right person for your business takes away the risks and administration associated with employing an Apprentice. Our Community Health training division offers flexible and blended learning in the care and health areas of Individual Support Aged Care and Disability in addition to short courses such as First Aid, Manual Handling and Child Safe Environments. Proudly South Australian, ATEC has 29+ years of experience in “Changing People’s Lives” and looks forward to many more!
RTO ID: 0022
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST SOUGHT NOW
LOOKING FOR A CAREER IN THE TRADITIONAL TRADES? ATEC offers the following Pre-Apprentice Courses COMMENCING AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
RII20715
Certificate II in Civil Construction
Register your interest TODAY! Contact Elissa at the Lonsdale Campus or Shellee at the Ottoway Campus
winter 2018
CPC20112
Certificate II in Construction
UEE22011
Certificate II in Electrotechnology (Career Start)
MEM20105
Certificate II in Engineering
1300 112 832 bookings@atec.asn.au
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special feature//life beyond school
ADELAIDE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT CENTRE
special feature//life beyond school
HOW YOUR PEERS WILL HELP YOU GET INTO UNI Juliet, 22, SAIBT student Diploma of Business (2017) and current University of South Australia Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Business (Management)
A
s a student starting your university journey, your study skills are going to be put to test. This is especially so as you will be introduced to a whole new method of learning with a lot of independence. You will be expected to write well and understand referencing, which will only be possible if you are able to develop your research skills. You will also learn how to study for exams focusing on the method that suits you best. This can all seem very overwhelming, but SAIBT has adopted the PASS program (Peer Assisted Study Sessions)to help you. This free class for SAIBT students bridges the gap between learners and teachers by getting current students to facilitate study sessions, like me! PASS is a safe and informal environment for all students to freely express themselves and bounce ideas around with each other. In turn, students will begin to develop and refine their research and study skills which they will utilise for the duration of their University program. I am lucky to be a PASS leader at SAIBT. My role is to ensure that students stay on track during discussions and that they learn the course topics. All students are welcome to join PASS and ask any questions.
What I experienced as a student attending PASS last year was that as I got to practice my written and presentation skills, my overall performance also developed as well as my confidence. I feel happy that I can now help other students in the same way. Because SAIBT is so diverse, you will also have the opportunity in PASS to learn about new cultures and make friends who you’ll share your university experience with. That’s what I found anyway, and why I chose SAIBT as my pathway to UniSA.
No ATAR? No uni offer? No worries! Redefine your future with a SAIBT Diploma, and get into the 2nd year at UniSA for over 90 degrees! saibt.sa.edu.au | saibt@navitas.com SAIBT | South Australian Institute of Business and Technology University of South Australia (City East Campus) North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000
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SAIBT is part of the Navitas Group. CRICOS Codes: SAIBT 012193C; University of South Australia 00121B
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FAR LEFT Image from 2017 Summer Sessions for Teenagers LEFT Jasmine Crisp, BVA (Hons) Graduate 2017
special feature//life beyond school
GENERATING EXPERIENCE vs GENERATING INCOME I
have spent the last few months extolling the virtues of generating experience rather than generating income. It is a simple argument which took shape during a conversation I had at a recent careers expo. In a familiar scene, a teenager approached our booth and talked passionately about their love of art. In turn I spoke about Adelaide Central School of Art offering a Bachelor of Visual Art program identified as the best in Australia for overall student satisfaction. The teenager showed me some recent drawings on their phone, took some course information, and promised to visit our Glenside Campus for Open Day in August. Half an hour later and
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clearly having spoken to a parent or teacher, they returned to ask the ‘responsible’ question, “but how does an artist make money?” It is a completely reasonable concern. I remember not having a clear answer for that question when I asked it myself in high school. I was already imagining myself set up in a studio, spending all day painting, but I had no sense of the economic implications of my aspiration. I didn’t realise then the scope of the visual arts industry in Australia (a multi-billion dollar sector according to the National Association for the Visual Arts) and the multitude of ways to make money from it. I had no idea about professional artists, curators, arts writers, educators, arts administrators, gallery assistants; all paid roles I have since held. As the teenager and I spoke the conversation went beyond an economic rationalisation (or defence) of the viability of a visual
arts career. We discussed financial independence, self-sufficiency and the need to grow up and take responsibility for your life. But we also agreed that making money in and of itself is an empty ambition, that income is just a means to experience, and that most experiences are not necessarily based on earning capacity. I was reassured by the teenager’s maturity. When I suggested we need to reframe our idea of value they seemed to understand. I am hoping that they and many others like them do make it to our Open Day. I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation.
>> To enquire about our degree programs, teen workshops, summer & winter schools and short courses for all levels email Luke at luke.thurgate@acsa.sa.edu.au or call 8299 7300.
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THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE AUGUST 2018 EDITION OF THE ADELAIDE REVIEW
BY LUKE THURGATE, PUBLIC PROGRAMS MANAGER, ADELAIDE CENTRAL SCHOOL OF ART
Study at Australia’s best art school Adelaide Central School of Art
has been rated the best art school in Australia for overall quality of educational experience outranking all universities that offer a dedicated visual art degree.* *as reported in the 2017 QILT National Student Experience Survey. The School achieved 96% for Teaching Quality and 94% for Student Support.
We offer: • Bachelor of Visual Art (BVA) and BVA (Hons) courses • Intensive studio-based teaching • Small class sizes and high contact hours • Nationally recognised artist-lecturers • Full-time and part-time study options • Extended academic year • Scholarships, relocation grants and awards • Deferral of fees through FEE-HELP • Short courses, workshops and teen programs
acsa.sa.edu.au 7 Mulberry Road Glenside SA 5065 image | detail: Cassie Thring, Trophy Series, 2015 Photograph by James Field
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special feture//health & wellbeing
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special feature//health & wellbeing
do you really need
AUTHORS: SOPHIE LEWIS, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, CENTRE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH IN HEALTH, UNSW AND KAREN WILLIS, PROFESSOR, ALLIED HEALTH RESEARCH, MELBOURNE HEALTH, LATROBE UNIVERSITY.
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE? EVERY YEAR IN AUTUMN, THE 11 MILLION AUSTRALIANS WHO HAVE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE RECEIVE NOTIFICATION THAT PREMIUMS ARE INCREASING. PREMIUMS INCREASED BY AN AVERAGE OF 3.95% FROM APRIL 1 (THIS VARIED WITH THE INSURER AND THE PRODUCT.) THE INCREASE IS LOWER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS BUT STILL HIGHER THAN ANY WAGE GROWTH, LEAVING CONSUMERS WONDERING IF THEY SHOULD GIVE IT UP OR DOWNGRADE TO SAVE MONEY.
Why go private? Australia has a universal health care system, Medicare. Health care is available to all and is financed, in part, through a 2% tax on our wages (the Medicare levy). Access to general practitioners and public hospitals are just some of the benefits. The Commonwealth government encourages Australians to have private health insurance. It imposes penalties for not taking it out (paying more income tax: the Medicare levy surcharge) and offers incentives for those who do (rebates on premiums). Some 45.8% of Australians have private health insurance, a rise from 31% in 1999. Australians have different reasons for taking out private health insurance. For some, it makes financial sense to take out policies to avoid paying the Medicare levy surcharge.
winter 2018
Others choose to take out policies to avoid waiting times for elective treatment (predominantly surgery); to choose their own specialist or hospital; or to have the option of a private room, better food or more attractive facilities. Some people perceive that private health insurance will give them access to better care in the private system. Many are fearful they won’t get the services they need in the public system.
Shorter waits than the public system A universal health system is based on people with the most clinical need gaining access to the services required. Most emergency treatment is provided in public hospitals. The case is different for “non-urgent” or elective surgery, with patients encouraged to use their private health insurance, mainly because of waiting times for such surgery in the public system. Elective surgery waiting times for public hospitals vary according to whether patients are publicly or privately funded. In 2015-2016, the median waiting time (the time within which 50% of all patients are admitted) was 42 days for public patients, 20 days for patients who used their private health insurance to fund their admission, and 16 days for those who self-funded their treatment.
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Bear in mind, however, that waiting times vary according to clinical urgency. In 2016-17 in New South Wales, 98% of public patients were admitted within the clinically recommended time frame. Differences in waiting times also vary according to the type of procedure. In 2015-2016, cardiothoracic (heart) surgery had a median waiting time of 18 days for public patients and 16 days for all other patients. In contrast, the median wait for public patients needing total knee replacement was 203 days, and 67 days for all other patients.
The question of choice Choice of provider is a leading reason people take out private health insurance. The idea that consumers should have choice in the services they receive has been promoted by government and private health insurance companies for some years, with great success. Many consumers now believe that more choice is better and private health insurance is an “enabler of choice”. But do people really have choice? Choice is not equally distributed, and not everyone with private health insurance gets the choices they desire. Private health insurers reserve the right to restrict benefits, or provide maximum benefits for using their “preferred providers”. This, in fact, limits the choices consumers can make. A recent example of this is the announcement from Bupa that, from August 1, members will face
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higher out-of-pocket costs in private hospitals that don’t have a special relationship with the company, and some procedures will be excluded from particular policies.
Finding the best policy If you decide to keep your private health insurance, make sure you’re getting the best deal on a policy that’s right for you. Shop around for a policy that meets your needs. Take note of what is excluded. If you are thinking about starting a family, you may want to look at whether obstetrics care is covered. For those who are older, inclusions such as hip replacements and cataract removal may be more important. The Australian government website PrivateHealth.gov.au or the Choice health insurance finder are good places to start. These include all registered health funds in Australia and allow you to compare what is covered in each policy. Other “free” comparison sites
may compare only some health funds and policies, or earn a fee per sale from insurers. Before taking out extras cover, see whether you are better off to self-insure: setting aside money for if and when you need to pay for extras such as dental or optical care. Review your policy each year and talk to your health insurance fund about your changing needs. Seek redress if something goes wrong. If you need a procedure, find out the waiting period in the public system, rather than assuming it will be quicker in the private system. Check the out-of-pocket costs if you choose to use your private health insurance. Then you can assess whether the price tag is worth getting your surgery a few weeks earlier.
THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE CONVERSATION.COM.AU
winter 2018
A new app to: • Check your symptoms • Find health services • Get trusted health information Download it now. Search 'healthdirect' at your app store. healthdirect.gov.au
special feature//health & wellbeing
immunisation SAVES LIVES
I
mmunisation is not only for infants. Teenagers also need to be protected against a range of diseases that can cause serious illness or even death. That’s why the School Immunisation Program (SIP) in South Australia provides a booster dose of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine (whooping cough) vaccine and two doses of human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) to all students in Year 8 – even if they are home-schooled. These are necessary because some childhood vaccinations don’t last forever; their effectiveness declines over time and booster doses are needed to ensure high levels of protection are maintained. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, called Gardasil 9, has been added to the Program because it is most effective in preventing HPV if delivered to adolescents before they become sexually active.
Protecting against serious disease Thankfully in Australia today, many serious diseases are rarely seen because of the incredible effectiveness of immunisation programs like the SIP. However, that has caused its own problem with many people not fully aware of how devastating these diseases can still be for children, families and the wider community. At its most serious, this “generational amnesia” means some parents are forgetting to have their children properly vaccinated while others believe vaccination is unnecessary. This couldn’t be farther than the truth. For example, diphtheria causes severe inflammation of the nose, throat and windpipe and can lead to suffocation, paralysis and heart failure. Around 10 per cent of people exposed to diphtheria die from it. Tetanus is a serious bacterial disease that causes muscle spasms and breathing problems. It kills about 10% of the people it infects. Whooping cough, which can also be fatal, begins like a cold and then the characteristic debilitating, exhausting cough develops. It’s particularly dangerous for babies less than six months of age. A booster in Year 8 will not only protects the recipient but helps stop the disease spreading to others in the community. HPV can infect both females and males, and while most
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people with it will have no symptoms it can lead to warts on the hands and feet, as well as cancers of the genital area for people who are sexually active. This includes cervical cancer.
Consent The school program is delivered on school grounds by fully trained and qualified vaccination teams and is also available through a variety of other providers including GPs, community health services, Aboriginal health services and some local councils. When they are in Year 8, students will receive an immunisation information and consent pack through their school. Parents should read this information carefully. Only students with a signed, completed form will be immunised and if a student misses their appointment for any reason, a follow up vaccination can be arranged. Importantly, any person under 20 years old who might have missed any of the SIP vaccines can arrange a free vaccine through their immunisation provider or GP.
Additional information Vaccinating adolescents against these diseases is important for their health, their future and their community. However, if you have concerns about vaccination there’s a way to clear the air. The Adelaide Primary Health Network, through the South Australia PHNs Immunisation Hub, funds Health and Immunisation Management Services which provides expert nurses who will sit down with parents and teenagers to answer questions and address any misconceptions. These face-to-face services are only available within the Adelaide metropolitan area, but people residing elsewhere can speak to the nurses over the phone. The HAIMS service is free of charge; just call 08 8152 0363. More information is also available on the SA Health School Immunisation Program website page.
www.immunisationhub.com.au
winter 2018
special feature//health & wellbeing
Immunisation protects
all our kids
Community immunity helps protect everyone. Make sure you vaccinate your child on time.
Immunisation saves lives. immunisationfacts.gov.au
special feture//health & wellbeing
A PILOT STUDY HAS FOUND GIRLS AS YOUNG AS 11 ARE SEEKING COSMETIC SURGERY FOR THEIR GENITALS. WHAT’S GOING ON?
WHY ARE YOUNG GIRLS ASKING FOR
VAGINAL COSMETIC SURGERY? BY ANDREW TROUNSON, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
“There is a lot of stigma around vaginas and genitalia and it’s very ‘hush hush’. You don’t really talk about it much I think because when you are in your teens that’s kind of the time where you are thinking about your body more – things are changing, there’s hair and stuff like that – so it was good to have that experience (of seeing a doctor) and to know there was nothing wrong with (my labia)” – Kathy*
K
athy was just 13 when she started thinking her vagina didn’t look right. Her worries began in PE class at school when she saw textbook drawings that she felt didn’t look like her vulva at all. She was so worried she made her Mum take her to a doctor to explore the option of surgery. She was referred to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne where a specialist adolescent gynaecologist was finally able to reassure her that she was perfectly normal. Kathy, now 18, is part of a new pilot study aimed at understanding why a growing number of Australian girls, as young as 11, are seeking cosmetic surgery on their otherwise normal genitals.
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Among grown women, research suggests that their view of what is normal and sexually desirable is being skewed by a modern culture that promotes an unrealistic “minimalist” vulva as the ideal. Typically, these are images in which the inner folds of skin surrounding the vagina, the labia minora, aren’t visible, when in real life, in half of women they are. But what’s additionally concerning is that these unrealistic views of what is normal also appears to be making even young girls anxious about how they look.
Women’s views of what their genitals “should” look like may be being skewed by inaccurate “minimalist” ideals. “What I’m finding is that you don’t have to be an adult to have these concerns,” says University of Melbourne health researcher Emma Barnard who is interviewing young women who had sought genital cosmetic surgery as girls. “It is happening much earlier than I anticipated.”
winter 2018
special feature//health & wellbeing
YOUNG AND ANXIOUS While the research study is still in its early stages, with eleven interviews so far, Ms Barnard says those she has spoken to had little sense at the time of what a normal vulva looked like. And that uncertainty can sometimes begin with their mothers. Among the 41 girls and young women referred to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne between 2000 and 2012 because of concerns over how their labia looked, the median age was just 14.5, and in nearly a quarter of cases it was the mother who was concerned. None of them was abnormal.
In the majority of cases, any concerns girls may have about their labial appearance can be effectively managed through education and counselling. “For nearly all the women I spoke to, this experience of having concerns is happening from around 13 to 16. It is a very specific and fraught time when they are trying to figure out who they are and how their bodies work,” says Ms Barnard, from the School of Population and Global Health. It was this spike in referrals to the Royal Children’s that first alerted hospital adolescent gynaecologist Professor Sonia Grover that there was a problem. “It was very troubling. We were concerned that we were suddenly getting so many referrals and we wanted to know why girls were becoming anxious at such a young about what their vulvas looked like,” says Professor Grover. In the ten years before 2000, she says she would have only seen two or three girls worried about the look of their genitals. The Royal Children’s doesn’t carry out cosmetic surgery, but will on very rare occasions do surgery in cases where the patient is in physical discomfort when all other factors have all been considered.
winter 2018
“There can be cases where the patient is in discomfort and surgery can be justified, but generally we discourage it because in the vast majority of cases the patient is completely normal,” Professor Grover says. She says that in the majority of cases, any concerns girls may have about their labial appearance can be effectively managed through education and counselling. While clinicians like Professor Grover have a clinical consultation with girls who are referred to them, she says there isn’t usually the scope to find out in depth about what is motivating their concerns. But there’s also the added problem that teenage girls are often reluctant to talk openly about their genitals. And this is where Ms Barnard’s study comes in – she is talking with these girls later in life when they are young adult women, in a free-flowing interview that lasts 60-90 minutes.
COSMETIC CONCERNS Gynaecologists and obstetricians don’t endorse female genital cosmetic surgery, arguing there is no evidence to justify it. There are also risks. According to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, these include infection, wound rupturing, pain during intercourse and reduced lubrication. Yet demand for the procedure is going up and it is being widely marketed by commercial cosmetic clinics.
www.sa-teen.com.au
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THE WIDE RANGE OF NORMAL Ms Barnard says much of the anxiety her interviewees felt about their genital appearance stemmed from them having little idea at the time of what the wide range of normal is. Their insecurity was further stoked by the onset of puberty and the prospect of intimate relations with someone actually seeing their genitals. “Some told me they had never really seen what anyone else really looked like and they were unlikely to have seen realistic images,” says Ms Barnard. “Pictures in textbooks and magazines are stylised or airbrushed, and there is a real lack of understanding about the real range of genital diversity.” This in part reflects Australian media censorship laws dictating that “realistic depictions (of nudity) may contain discreet genital detail but there should be no genital emphasis.” Instead of realistic images, Ms Barnard says interviewees remembered relying on stylised images in textbooks, or internet searches that often took them to advertisements promoting the benefits of cosmetic surgery.
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Despite widespread concerns that easy access to stylised pornography was skewing peoples view of what female genitals really look like, Ms Barnard says interviewees haven’t so far highlighted it as much as she would have expected. “They told me the sources are generally a bit more banal than pornography.” The problem of knowing what normal looks like is exacerbated by many general practitioners themselves being unsure how to judge whether a woman’s genitals look normal. A 2016 Australian survey study of over 400 doctors found that about 25 per cent weren’t confident in their ability to judge normality. Interviewees also remember being influenced by what seemed to them a sudden cultural shift in which women’s genitals were suddenly a focus of fashion, from Brazilian waxing to tight fitting clothing and G-strings. “I think it is fair to say that something has changed in the culture in the last 10-15 years to make women and girls more aware of the appearance of their genital anatomy,” says Ms Barnard. “Going back to my own adolescence this issue is one that never occurred to me. But there are clearly significant numbers of young people who are having this experience and whose voices are just not in any literature, possibly because it is a really difficult thing to talk about. “But if we can have a better idea of how troubling this is for young people then that could potentially improve clinical practice.” * Not her real name For Information on the natural diversity of women’s genitals see Women’s Health Victoria’s The Labia Library at www. labialibrary.org.au
THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON PURSUIT.UNIMELB.COM.AU
special feture//health & wellbeing
In Australia, Medicare claims for labiaplasty and vulvoplasty, that both involve cutting back the folds of skin around the vulva, more than doubled from 707 in 2002-03 to 1,584 in 2013-14. And the number of claims among 15 to 24-year-olds was similar to that among both 25 to 34-year-olds and 35 to 44-year-olds. More recent data is unavailable because Medicare restricted claims for the procedure in 2014, which means that demand is being driven wholly into the private sector. And this isn’t just a trend in Australia – countries around the world are seeing the same spike. In the US the number of labiaplasty procedures tripled between 2011 and 2014, while in the UK the number increased from less than 500 in 2001 to over 2,000 in 2011. So what exactly are the patients asking for? What is female genital cosmetic surgery? Most commonly, female genital cosmetic surgery involves a “labiaplasty” to cut the edges of the labia minora so that it doesn’t extend beyond the outer skin folds, the labia majora. It can also extend to procedures like vaginoplasty to tighten the vagina, or vulval lipoplasty to remove fat around the vulva.
winter 2018
special feature//health & wellbeing
Online program helps teens
BITE BACK
at mental illness The Black Dog Institute has relaunched its online BITE BACK program with new interactive and gamified elements, in a bid to boost teenagers’ wellbeing and resilience. Aimed at high school students, BITE BACK is Australia’s only free positive psychology program for adolescents aged 12-18. The evidence-based program was redesigned with input from young Australians and features modules to assist with reducing stress, building resilience, improving relationships and focus, and goal-setting. Users collect a token after completing various activities, quizzes and stories each week, with three tokens unlocking the chance to win a $250 voucher for popular brands like Nike, Cotton On, Westfield, Nintendo, and Bonds. A six-week “Mental Fitness” Challenge serves as a capstone module to the program, helping teens entrench their learnings and track their progress with handy tips and weekly activities on gratitude, mindfulness, social connections, and strengths. Scarlett Kendrew, 12, said BITE BACK has helped her feel more proactive about looking after her mental wellbeing.
“I’ve really enjoyed the surveys to make sure I’m doing well, whether that’s to be more grateful or more mindful. It updates you on your progress, gives you tips and lets you set reminders on how to improve, which I think my peers would enjoy too,” she said. “Most mental health lessons we receive are delivered in classrooms where you have to sit down and listen, but this is more interactive and personal than other types of education.” An earlier randomised controlled trial showed BITE BACK was effective in decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increased wellbeing in young people, particularly those who used the website for more than 30 minutes per week. “BITE BACK can address early signs of mental health problems by getting young people to focus on their strengths, and by building their resilience to stress,” said Clinical Psychologist Professor Vijaya Manicavasagar, who led the previous study.
TODAY’S TEENAGERS FACE SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES – PEER PRESSURE, CYBERBULLYING, MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS, DEALING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THEIR SELF-ESTEEM. YOUNG PEOPLE ALSO COMMONLY HAVE DIFFICULTIES IN DEALING WITH INTENSE AND OVERWHELMING EMOTIONS.
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“Today’s teenagers face specific mental health challenges – peer pressure, cyberbullying, managing relationships, dealing with social media and the impact of social media on their self-esteem. Young people also commonly have difficulties in dealing with intense and overwhelming emotions. “Rather than targeting teens when mental health issues are already present, BITE BACK takes a preventative approach by helping young people to identify and focus on the good things in their lives." Despite negative press, online platforms can be beneficial for young people’s mental health as they provide access to help at any time and any place. “It’s important for teenagers to feel in control of their mental wellbeing and being able to seek out information and learn skills on their own terms online also means they’re often able to seek help earlier before issues progress to a clinical level.” BITE BACK is being rolled out to schools Australia-wide with dedicated webinars for educators to support integration of the new site into their programming. >> Get better marks, improve friendships, reduce stress and more. Join the Bite Back Mental Fitness Challenge at www.biteback.org.au
winter 2018
Lack of sleep can cause stress, moodiness, physical exhaustion and other health issues, Most people need an average of eight hours sleep to function at their best. Try going to bed when you're tired and turning the TV off at least 30 minutes before retiring for the night
Good nutrition can be just as important for your mental health as it is for your physical health. Try to eat regular, wellbalanced meals and maintain adequate fluid intake to ensure you feel good. Search the web for healthy recipes or ask your GP or a dietician for advice on what foods you should be eating.
Focusing on one thing at a time, keeping calm and planning ahead can imprive your skills to cope with life's pressures. You may also find it helpful to writ things down. Prepare a checklist of issues to consider and work through during rough patches. List and set priorities, action steps and reminders. Before you start to feel overwhelmed, try sitting down to plan your day, week or month. Celebrate your progress when you finish a task by crossing it off your list. Remember to always set realistic, achievable goals.
Listening to music while you work or study can help you relax and even increase your creativity, productivity and focus. The right type of music can be calming and relaxing and can reduce stress levels and elevate your mood.
The amount of alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs you consume can have a negative impact on your mental wellbeing. If neccessary, try cutting back on your intake and find support to quit effectively and for good.
Try not to become too focused on electronic entertainment such as TV, DVDs, games, mobile phones, tablets and other devices. Consider turning them off for even 5 to 10 minutes a day. Take time out from the constant buzz of the digital world by takign a walk outside, stretching, sitting quietly for a moment or reading a book.
Make the time to connect with people who make you feel good. People who surround themselves with other people are happier, more productive and get more out of life. Ensure you make time to see your family and friends in person, not just online.
.Join a club, group, society, union, collective, gym or whatever you're interested in. Getting involved in your community and bulding strong connections is an important part of maintaining good mental health, and it's fun too!
Exercise makes you feel better. Even moderate levels of exercise, as little as 10 to 15 minutes a day can improve your mental health. Many of us don't get enough exercise and spend more than three hours each day sitting during our leisure time. Get moving! Walk your dog, do a few laps around the block or take a fun gym class. Even moderate activity levels can help improve your outlook.
If you feel things are getting too much and you aren't coping, talk to someone. See your GP, visit an online service such as lifeline. org.au. Reach out to others, ask them if they're OK if you feel you can provide support.
parenting//building resilience
BUILDING RESILIENCE THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE CONVERSATION.COM.AU
MANDIE SHEAN LECTURER, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY
The gift of coping
I
n recent years, there has been a concerted effort to protect children from failure in order to safeguard their fragile self-esteem. This seems logical – failure is unpleasant. It tends to make you look bad, you have negative feelings of disappointment and frustration, and you often have to start again. While this is logical, it actually has the opposite effect. Children and adolescents in Australia appear less able to cope than ever before. The problem is, in our efforts to protect children, we take valuable opportunities for learning away from them.
Failure provides benefits that cannot be gained any other way. It is a gift disguised as a bad experience. Failure is not the absence of success, but the experience of failure on the way to success.
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When we fail, we experience negative emotions such as disappointment or frustration. When children are protected from these feelings they can believe they are powerless and have no control over mastery. The answer is not to avoid failure, but to learn how to cope with small failures. These low-level challenges have been called “steeling events”. Protecting children from these events is more likely to increase their vulnerability than promote resilience. When adults remove failure so children do not have to experience it, they become more vulnerable to future experiences of failure.
The gift of understanding natural consequences One of the greatest gifts failure brings is we learn natural consequences to our decisions. It’s a very simple concept developed by early behaviourists: “when I do X, Y happens”. If I don’t study, I will fail; if I don’t practice, I may lose my spot on the team. Allowing children to experience these outcomes teaches them the power of their decisions. When parents and teachers derail this process by protecting children from failure, they also stand in the way of natural consequences. Studies show children who are protected from failure are more depressed and less satisfied with life in adulthood.
winter 2018
parenting//building resilience
The gift of learning Mistakes are the essence of learning. As we have new experiences and develop competence, it’s inevitable we make mistakes. If failure is held as a sign of incompetence and something that should be avoided (rather than a normal thing), children will start to avoid the challenges necessary for learning. Failure is only a gift if students see it as an opportunity rather than a threat. This depends on their mindset. Children with a growth mindset believe intelligence is malleable and can be changed with effort. Those with a fixed mindset believe they were born with a certain level of intelligence. So, failure is a signal for growth mindset children to try harder or differently, but a sign they aren’t smart enough for children with a fixed mindset.
When we fail, we experience negative emotions such as disappointment or frustration. When children are protected from these feelings they can believe they are powerless and have no control over mastery. Praise should be focused on effort Praise can be used to compensate and help children feel valuable in the face of failure. We see this when children get a participation ribbon in a running race for coming in last. But research indicates, paradoxically, this inflated praise has the opposite effect. In the study, when parents gave inflated praise (“incredibly” good work) and person-focused praise (such as “you’re beautiful”, “you’re smart” or “you’re special”), children’s selfesteem decreased. Praise that is person-focused results in children avoiding failure and challenging tasks to maintain acceptance and selfworth. This is because praise is conditional on “who they are” rather than their efforts. Praise for effort sounds like “you worked really hard”. This is better because children can control how hard they work, but they can’t control how smart or special they are. Children need to be free to learn without there being a risk to their sense of worth.
winter 2018
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Protecting your child from failure isn’t actually helpful. Allow them to feel and live it, and let them have the gifts failure brings. Experiencing failure will make them more resilient and more likely to succeed in the future. So how do we do this well? Here are some tips to help parents support their children and teach them it's OK to fail:
1 2 3 4
Don't protect children from low-risk natural consequences. For example, if they don't study and fail an assessment, don't defend them, let them deal with the consequences at school. Use experiences of failure as a chance to grow and learn. Talk through the experience and work out what to do differently next time.
Remind your child that negative emotions come with failure and they are OK. They should feel them and move on to do things differently in the future. Give genuine praise for effort ("you tried hard" or "great perseverance") but don't feel the need to give inflated untrue praise when children haven't actually done anything.
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ask an expert//mobile phones
SHOULD MOBILE PHONES BE BANNED IN SCHOOLS?
A.
NSW Minister for Education Rob Stokes has ordered a review into phone use in schools. The review will look at the risks and rewards of social media and will ultimately decide whether to ban mobile phones in NSW schools. Finnish education expert Pasi Sahlberg recently said he believed mobile phone-related distraction is a main reason for Australia sliding down in PISA rankings. Parents and teachers have similar concerns about cyberbullying and safety, as well as technology distracting from schoolwork. But do the benefits of having phones in classrooms (such as contact with parents, access to mental health text lines, and learning opportunities) outweigh the risks? We asked five experts if schools should ban mobile phones in classrooms. Four out of five experts said no.
Matthew Kearney, Teacher Educator Firstly, regardless of any ban, school students will continue to learn with their own phones off-campus, later in life in their tertiary education, and in their professional and workplace learning. Secondly, if students want to investigate, collect
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data, receive personalised and immediate feedback, record media, create, compose, or communicate with peers, in and beyond the classroom, then using mobile apps is ideal. Also, if they want to learn at a place, time and pace of their choosing, for example on excursions, or working on projects with friends in more informal spaces like home, on a train or in Facebook groups, then mobile devices are needed. Joanne Orlando, Technology & Learning Researcher It’s important to educate children to live well in the era in which they are growing up. A good education for students today is knowing how to use technology to learn, communicate, and work with ideas. There is significant research that shows selective, quality and empowering uses of technology provides new learning opportunities and the ability for students to develop skills they will need for future careers. The ability to copy work off the blackboard into an exercise book is not a skill today’s employers are looking for. Banning students from using smartphones is a
1950’s response to a 2018 state-of-play. Mobile phone use is a complex social activity and taking phones away will likely lead to underground and hidden use by teens. Damian Maher, ICT & Social Media Lecturer Mobile phones serve many important functions. Digital literacy is a critical aspect of young people’s schooling and research shows mobile phones can play a role in supporting such learning. It’s important students learn with these devices so they can effectively participate in the workforce. The phones provide a link between students and their parents, which has an important role to play in ensuring their safety. Evidence indicates parents want this type of access. Teachers have an important role to teach students to be safe online. In relation to health, research shows medical apps are important to support the health of young people, such as managing diabetes, and apps need to be accessed during schools hours. Rather than suggesting bans, we should be discussing ways to support young people to
use their phones. Susan Sawyer, Paediatrician Mobile phones are now ubiquitous for secondary school students. Beyond the 3Rs, an important aspect of learning for secondary school students is about safely negotiating online environments. This means all schools need to develop policies around the use of mobile phones during school hours. Given the dynamic nature of the mobile world, regularly engaging students and parents in reviewing and revising these policies is an important part of everyone’s learning. A particular benefit of mobile phones is they can provide access to therapeutic interventions for distressed young people while they are at school. Telephone support lines have long provided crisis support but are more commonly used outside school hours. The emergence of crisis text lines means adolescents can access text messaging support in real time, an approach that many find more accessible than telephone support, let alone face-to-face support, even with trained professionals at schools. winter 2018
THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE CONVERSATION.
Danielle Einstein, Clinical Physchologist First, mobile phones are too easily used at the expense of face-to-face communication. Teenagers can message, avoiding a more challenging conversation. Second, smartphone apps and messages prompt dopamine release, creating addiction. Third, the mere presence of one’s phone consumes attention even when it's not being checked. It's been shown we have reduced working memory capacity and fluid intelligence when our phone is upside down, silent on our desk compared to when it is in another room. Finally, Smartphone use is associated with the current epidemic of anxiety and depression.
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