A growing cohort of young people are turning to Artificial Intelligence for mental health support, as new polling reveals the top issues keeping young people in NSW up at night.
The new poll results come from the NSW Office for Youth, established by the Minns Labor Government.
The former Liberal-National government abolished the youth portfolio in 2011, silencing the voice of young people in executive government.
The newly-established Office for Youth is committed to making young people active contributors in the decisions that shape their lives and that starts with hearing their voices.
They can now reveal the results of the 2026 Youth Week Polling Report, which shows that:
- 29 per cent of young people said they use AI as a support strategy to look after their mental health
- 27 per cent are using AI for conversation or personal advice
- Mental health is the top issue, followed by cost of living and housing.
While four in five young people say they are happy with their life, the data makes clear that social media and bullying continue to impact the mental health of young people, despite the social media ban.
Nearly half of young people said the delay has had no impact on them, mostly because they're still using restricted apps or have switched to other apps.
36 per cent of those polled in NSW said the ban has had a positive impact and 13 per cent feel worse.
The new poll results land ahead of NSW Youth Week which commences this Thursday, with hundreds of events taking place across NSW between 16 and 26 April.
The results indicate that the Minns Labor Government is on the right track in building a better future for young people in our state, with a focus on:
- Building more homes to buy and rent so that young people can afford to live near transport and jobs.
- Delivering the most significant rental reforms in a decade, including banning no-grounds evictions, limiting rent increases, and making it easier to have pets and move between homes.
- Investing a record $3.1 billion into mental health, with new funding for community mental health and a network of free, walk-in Medicare Mental Health Centres for adults and kids.
To read the full polling report visit https://officeforyouth.nsw.gov.au/polling-report and for more information and to find events happening near you, visit Youth Week 2026.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Youth Rose Jackson:
"This government established the first dedicated NSW Office for Youth to engage young people on their terms and ensure their voices are heard and formally recognised by government.
"These insights give our office a clearer picture of what young people need and help guide the work we deliver across government.
"It's encouraging to see the majority of young people say they are happy, but that sits alongside some pretty stark realities about the challenges of they're facing too. Whether that's bullying and discrimination, the rise of AI, or concerns about jobs and housing.
"The issues young people are worrying about are real and I want them to know that we see them, we hear them, and we're doing something about it."
Quotes attributable to the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People Katherine McKernan:
"The 2026 Youth Week polling report shows us that young people are adapting to and adopting change far more confidently and quickly than adults. The polling results around AI usage not only show this but also identify how government and services also need to adapt to better support young people."
"It's up to decision-makers to keep up with the momentum of positive change young people expect and deserve, and young people can feel assured that the Office for Youth is working to make the ambitious aspirations of NSW youth a policy reality."
"More than three in five young people feel the NSW Government listens to the opinions of people their age when making decisions but heading into Youth Week this polling is a reminder for all of us to amplify the voices of young people in everything we do."
