The Wellbeing Health & Youth (WH&Y) Centre of Research Excellence in Adolescent Health, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), is an Australia-wide network of researchers committed to championing good health in the Teenage Decade. WH&Y brings together clinicians, administrators, policy-makers, families and young people to transform how teenage healthcare is researched and designed so that all young people have the opportunity to experience the best possible wellbeing and health in adolescence. For more information on WH&Y

Prof Rebecca Ivers is one of the Chief Investigators, contributing to WH&Y Stream 2: Pathways & Costs, looking at the role of risk-taking behaviours, and injury as well as better access to healthcare for young people at risk of injury. View Publication.

Professor Rebecca Ivers is an investigator on an NHMRC funded Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) aiming to ‘Drive Global Investment in Adolescent Health’. Led by led by Professor George Patton from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, this Centre for Research Excellence will address the major technical roadblocks to investment in neglected aspects of adolescent health globally and in groups facing high levels of inequality in Australia. Investigators include Professor Susan Sawyer, Professor Louisa Degenhardt and Professor Stuart Skinner. Within the School Dr Amy Peden and Dr Patricia Cullen are contributing to the work, which will provide a clearer understanding of health priorities for decision makers as well as identify what the most cost-efficient policy and programming investments will be.

Young people (13-18 years) referred to residential alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment services are often at risk in a range of other health and psychosocial domains, including psychosocial distress, injury, self harm, suicide, homelessness and poverty. The Youth Pathways Study - an Australian Research Council (LP140100429) and Ted Noffs funded project has used mixed methods (linked data, surveys and interviews) to understand the experiences and outcomes among young people referred to the Ted Noffs Foundation residential AOD treatment programs.

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Sport is a powerful tool.  Participation can promote health education, empowerment, social inclusion, poverty reduction and even peace and conflict resolution. At UNSW’s School of Population Health, our team is engaging in initiatives that use sport as a means to create social change.

Sport for social change (SFSC) initiatives have been growing steadily for the last three decades and are recognised by the establishment of a number of UN Resolutions, diverse international networks and the United Nations Office for Sport Development and Peace.

In a world first, our team leads a global study on social enterprise as a sustainable funding mechanism for SFSC organisations to thrive.

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Injury is the leading cause of death in Australian children. Our School is working together with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations in Walgett, NSW to see whether engaging young parents to deliver injury prevention messages can lead to better health outcomes.

Aboriginal children have higher rates of injury than non-Aboriginal children, particularly in remote areas. Serious childhood injury can have lifelong implications. Many of the risk factors that give rise to childhood injuries are the same as the risk factors for chronic disease.

Aboriginal Community-led interventions are likely to be the most effective means of preventing child injuries, but there has been little research or evaluation show what works best.

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