Bursting the bubble on youth health websites
[ UniNews Vol. 14, No. 6
18 April - 2 May 2005 ]
Researchers in the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Program Evaluation (CPE) have teamed with staff at the State Government funded Domestic Violence and Incest Information Resource Centre (DVIRC) to consult young Victorians on the pros and cons of youth health websites.
The researchers used the DVIR’s interactive website Burstingthebubble.com to invite comment from young people on websites that specifically target them. The aim of the DVIR website is to assist young people experiencing violence or abuse in their homes.
CPE Research Fellow and study team member, Mr Bradley Shrimpton, says the year-long project showed that conversational language, engaging interactives, colour and graphics were all fundamental for a successful youth website.
“While the young people in our focus groups were positive in their evaluations of Burstingthebubble.com, there’s a strong feeling many websites – particularly those produced by government agencies – try ‘too hard’ to engage young people.
“Rather than striking a chord with young people, the language used is often interpreted as being patronising – too buddy-buddy,” he says.
Drawing on the feedback of more than 70 students aged 13 to 18 and online surveys, the research team has produced a ‘how to’ booklet highlighting the dangers of relying on text to communicate information, the importance of appropriate illustrations and the importance of promotion.
“Young participants had a great deal to say about what they thought were the best ways to promote websites to adolescents and young adults. Many felt television was the most effective way of promoting websites, although it was widely acknowledged this was too costly for many organisations,” says Mr Shrimpton.
“As an alternative, young people suggested making more use of posters, bookmarks and postcards.”
DVIRC’s Web Manager, Ms Mandy McKenzie, who has worked in the adolescent health field for 10 years, goes further, advocating greater collaboration between schools and health organisations.
“Understandably, some schools are a bit nervous about looking at issues such as domestic violence. Schools need to be supported in providing information to young people. There needs to be more work by services to train up school staff so that they feel more comfortable distributing information. Often, teachers don’t feel particularly supported in dealing with the issue,” she says.
Mr Shrimpton says the ‘how to’ booklet is the outcome of “an excellent collaboration between the University of Melbourne and a well-regarded not-for-profit organisation”.
“By working constructively together, we’ve produced a useful resource that can also quite easily be used in schools as a teaching and learning resource and has the real potential to help young people.”
The DVIRC/Centre for Program Evaluation report, Learnings from Burstingthebubble.com, can be obtained by contacting the DVIRC on 9486 9666.
|
|
