Dreams and expectations: Young people's expected and preferred futures and their significance for education

A recent Australian study sought to obtain a better understanding of what young people expect and want of their country in 2010, and to assess the value of scenarios as an investigative tool. The study had two components: a series of eight scenario-development workshops involving a total of 150 young people, most aged between 15 and 24 and from a variety of backgrounds; and a national opinion poll of 800 Australians in this age group. The study suggests there is a wide gap between young Australians' expected and preferred futures. Most do not expect life to be better in 2010, either nationally or globally, but foresee a continuation, and even worsening, of today's problems. Their dreams for Australia are of a society that places less emphasis on the individual, material wealth and competition, and more on community and family, the environment and cooperation.