abc.net.au/news/more-vic-teens-working-part-time-to-support-their-families/102577496It was just a week before her 18th birthday when Yvone applied for a job at a local fast-food restaurant.
"They've got the stress of wanting to get good grades and finish their VCE and now the added pressure of going out to work and wanting to make it less of a burden for mum and dad, " she said.They come to teachers asking for advice about what to do.Visits to Ms Chamberlain's office from students needing food for the day have increased.
“The way that was normalised among them was quite striking. Everyone seemed to agree that, yep, that was a pretty normal practice,” she said.Some of the stories were heartbreaking, Ms Newnham said. Like when a teenage girl asked the legal centre for help to write a resume.“She said that she's been listening and watching her mum, who's a single mother and worried about becoming homeless," Ms Newnham said.
While it could be a sign of rising household expenses, senior ANZ Bank economist Adelaide Timbrell said it may also be a reflection of Australia’s labour shortage.