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This report explores the impact of COVID-19 on young Australians’ engagement with youth from across Asia. It also highlights a selection of varied and creative solutions to sustaining Australia-Asia youth engagement, many of which have been generated by youth-led organisations throughout the pandemic and amidst geopolitical tensions and ongoing travel restrictions. We would like to thank the 20+ young people from across Australia and Asia who contributed to this report through our Young Leaders Forum, interviews and correspondence.

Key Findings

• Over 60% of the world’s youth live in the Asia Pacific
• Australia-Asia youth engagement provides future leaders of - and contributors to - governments, business, education institutions and for purpose organisations across our region
• This report explores four key enablers of Australia-Asia youth connectivity: tourism, international education, employment and civic engagement
• An evidence-based framework for an Australia-Asia Pacific Youth Engagement Index is presented in this report
• Australia-Asia youth volunteerism is a crucial component of civic engagement for which comprehensive participation data is not readily available, highlighting a need for regular information collection
• International education and civic engagement have driven Australia-Asia Pacific youth connectivity during COVID-19, but as borders re-open and young people resume travel, tourism and employment will regain importance within Australia-Asia youth engagement
• During COVID-19, over half a million student visa holders from the Asia Pacific engaged with Australian education
• Many Australia-Asia youth-led organisations offered new forms of engagement during COVID-19 which extended their reach to diverse groups of young people and assisted to maintain existing connections
• Youth leaders agree that returning to in-person engagement requires additional, multi-year funding to sustain operations and to provide certainty
• The pandemic has been a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Australia-Asia youth-led organisations to pause and reflect on their values and goals; to re-set; and to innovate and experiment with different types of engagement

This research venture is presented in partnership with