Understanding youth social engagement in Australian parks within low-SES neighbourhoods

Abstract

Park design plays a significant role in the social well-being of and social sustainability among park users. Although evidence suggests that neighbourhood parks are used by youth from different Socio-Economic Status (SES) neighbourhoods as a place to meet others, there is a lack of research on the engagement of youth who visit neighbourhood parks unsupervised. Therefore, this research focuses on how parks can facilitate social engagement and impact social activities for youth from low-SES neighbourhoods. A total of 13 youth (aged 16–23 years) from low-SES neighbourhoods within the Moreton Bay Region of South-East Queensland, Australia participated in a one-off workshop. Findings show that while parks have the potential to foster positive social connections, they are often places for anti-social behaviours that complicate the youth experience. This identifies the dual nature of park environments as both attractions and barriers to youth engagement by creating conflicting experiences for youth.