State of the Generation Report
- Emma Godwin
The research is evidence-based, policy-relevant and offers critical insights into the lives, challenges and outlook of young people. It’s based on a nationwide, representative survey of rangatahi aged 12 to 24 years of age (50% aged 12-17; 50% 18–24) conducted from 28 January to 16 February 2026 by research company TRA.
1. Mental health
From their own perspective, the most important issue facing young people today is mental health, yet many say they feel the system is falling short, with the biggest concern cited as a lack of support, with long-wait times and limited access to services reported as key barriers.
2. Cost-of-living
Youth wellbeing continues to be negatively impacted by the wider issues facing New Zealand society. Many young people reported stress around affording basic needs, including food, bills and housing, with concerns particularly acute among 18–24-year-olds, while 47% of 12-17-year-olds say they are worried because their parents/whānau are stressed about money.
3. Social Pressure
A quarter of young people report feeling under relentless pressure to ‘have everything together’ driven by expectations from adults, their peers and social media, contributing to stress and a lack of wellbeing.
4. Phone addiction, social media and AI
While mental health is considered the most important issue, phone addiction and screentime (66%) and social media (65%) are the two most common issues faced by young people today. AI was also a concern with 49% saying they were ‘a little worried about AI’ and 20% they were ‘very worried about AI’. Key AI issues include uncertainty about what’s real and what isn’t (65%), fears around misinformation (61%) and its impact on future job options (57%).
Where they go for support
When they do need help, most young people turn to their parents or carers (53%) or a friend (49%). But nearly a quarter use social media to find other people going through similar things, especially TikTok (67%) and Instagram (51%), while a further 20% are talking to AI chatbots. Counselling (29%) and helplines (17%) are recognised as the most effective formal channels of support. A third want easier access to mental health support.
Youthline
Youthline is the first mental health organisation young people think of and the first they reach out to for support, but 41% of young people were unable to name a single mental health organisation. Young people want Youthline to play a broader role – supporting them with life skills (46%), delivering more programmes in schools (45%) and helping connect them to other mental health support (43%). Above all, young people want to feel heard. Listening and showing empathy is the most important thing Youthline can do to help young people