Overcoming obstacles on the peri-urban fringe: young people making new geographies

摘要

Understanding contemporary youth lifestyles is a challenge for urban planners and geographers. Young people's everyday needs are complex, and urban spaces in new outer city developments offer unique spaces for shaping their identities. Juxtaposed with affordances of digital technologies, the physical location of home exists in a fluid landscape. Overcoming obstacles, such as access to public transport, places to socialise, and meet their peers, is characteristic of the everyday young person's experience. Knowing how young people decide where to go for personal space, as well as who to ask for personal advice, was the aim of this study. The study was conducted with samples of young people growing up in the rapidly growing peri-urban northern suburbs of the Australian city of Melbourne. A survey questionnaire was administered to a gender-balanced sample aged 12-15 years (n = 523) with follow-up interviews to better inform the results. Logistic regression and factorial analyses of variance reveal their favourite places to be 'my' bedroom, being with friends, the park, and the cafe. Although not the focus of this study, some gender differences were noted. In addition to innovative use of space, the results show the positive influences on their well-being of trusted family and friends. Young people's geographies offer transdisciplinary insights that highlight their creative usage of these new urban spaces. They offer a new imaginary for geographical education and research.