Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with cancer face significant challenges in maintaining their education and career paths due to the physical and mental toll of treatment. Yet, sustained involvement in school or work can greatly enhance their psychological wellbeing and social integration.
Canteen's Education & Career Service (ECS) is dedicated to supporting young people in achieving their personal career goals through career exploration, enhancing job readiness skills and empowering AYAs to engage in professional development and lifelong learning. Our recent evaluation highlights how ECS empowers young people to find and sustain meaningful work or study, contributing to a higher quality of life despite their health challenges.
A new study by researchers collaborating with Canteen, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, reviewed existing online resources for education and work support for AYAs with cancer. The findings revealed a lack of accessible, age-appropriate, and culturally inclusive resources. To address this, UNSW researchers, in collaboration with Canteen are developing user-friendly, evidence-based online tools to be hosted on canteen.org.au.
Our commitment to improving Canteen’s ECS is guided by ongoing research and user feedback. Watch our video to see how we're enhancing our services to better meet the needs of young Australians with cancer.
For a deeper dive into this research, read the full article by Schilstra (2024) here.
