The Telstra Foundation
After conducting the Youth Digital Index for the Telstra Foundation in 2024, Wallis was back in 2025 to update the study, providing a reliable benchmark for both internal advocacy and external partnerships.
Background:
The Telstra Foundation commissioned Wallis Social Research to update its annual Youth Digital Index for 2025, after conducting the project in 2024 for the first time. The primary objective was to map how Australian young people, specifically those aged 8 to 25 years, use and feel about digital technology. This effort aimed to provide the Telstra Foundation with a reliable benchmark that could be utilised both for internal advocacy purposes and as part of external partnerships.
Objectives:
The project had four main objectives:
Engage deeply with young people to capture authentic online experiences, ensuring their voices are accurately represented.
Provide a stable benchmark on the role of digital technology in their lives, facilitating informed decision-making by various stakeholders.
Supply a definitive data source for philanthropy, education policy, and service delivery, thereby aiding these sectors in effectively supporting youth.
Identify emerging themes that matter to stakeholders across Australia, enabling targeted interventions and strategies.
Methodology:
The methodology employed was comprehensive and multi-phased:
Design: This phase involved codesigning the index with the Telstra Foundation. The project adapted elements from the UK Nominet Youth Digital Index to suit Australian contexts.
Pretesting: Cognitive testing was conducted to ensure that questions were clear and relevant for young people, enhancing the accuracy of responses.
Data Collection – Quantitative: An online survey was distributed to 4,700 respondents aged 8 to 25 years. This phase aimed at gathering a broad spectrum of quantitative data regarding youth digital experiences.
Data Collection – Qualitative: To delve deeper into themes identified during the survey, 30 in-depth interviews and 8 focus groups were conducted.
Planned Improvement: A new approach involving telephone interviewing was trialled in 2025 to reach participants who might not have online access, thus aiming to include a wider demographic.
Limitations:
A significant limitation of this study is its reliance on online only access, which may exclude digitally disadvantaged youth. This potential exclusion could impact the comprehensiveness and inclusivity of the data collected, particularly affecting those without reliable internet or digital devices. This limitation was attempted to be combatted with the trial of telephone interviewing in 2025.