But Professor Hickie wants governments,businesses and communities to go further,and invest money in creating opportunities for the class of 2020 and their year 11 peers,who will face similar uncertainty next year.
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University degrees should become cheaper and easier to access,rather than more expensive,all levels of government should invest in projects that create jobs,and businesses should think about how they could harness this youthful workforce.
"Telling people to be hopeful doesn't help,"he said."You have to create structures that are hopeful — support for education,training,for social ventures they can invest their time and energy in,to be connected with your local community.
"School does that,but the moment school finishes,you're out the door. People have to have something to do. We need to paint a different picture of the future."
Professor Hickie said the thousands of students who would not travel nor be able to find jobs could be redirected to other areas of deep need in the community,such as environmental projects or care jobs.
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"There are communities willing to create these opportunities if they have that support,and the funding,"Professor Hickie said."There is a workforce[of school leavers] that is really nice,enthusiastic and capable. They're just not in charge.
"That enthusiasm needs to be directed elsewhere,and quickly.
"Their country needs them. And they can do something for their country. It's not the self-indulgent,travelling the world. But they will do useful things,and they will be supported,and they will get different kinds of things out of it."
Rachael Murrihy,director of The Kidman Centre,said HSC students had been struggling with motivation,energy and focus,and feeling a sense of pointlessness about their studies as the things they looked forward to during and after exams were cancelled.
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"We need to rally around,"she said."The first thing is recognising that,while we're all hit by this pandemic,there are some groups that are hit harder than others. Our teens are hit harder,in particular year 12."
In July,calls to the NSW Kids Helpline were up by 38 per cent on the same month last year. Headspace found 74 per cent of young people said their mental health was worse since the outbreak of COVID-19.
This month,Victorian hospitals recorded a 33 per cent rise in children presenting with self-harm over a six-week period,compared with a year earlier. NSW does not have comparative statistics.
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