DoSomething rings in its 30-year anniversary this year. And, DoSomething Strategic (DSS) is also recognizing our 10-year anniversary. We celebrated last month by hosting the biggest night in youth activism — The Futures Ball. 

As a social impact consultancy that set out to create a dialogue between the seemingly misunderstood millennials of the world and the brands who were embracing cause-driven programming, it’s been quite a decade. The Y2K demo aged out of DoSomething’s demographic, the younger Millennials came and went, and then Gen Z arrived. We’ve seen this generation find their voice and it's been incredible to see how they’re using it to see if brands’ values match their own. Now, as the oldest members of Generation Alpha are turning 13, we’re learning what motivates a whole new generation of young people to do something. 

A lot has changed for DSS since 10 years ago (including our name, TMI Strategy, may it rest in peace). And, a lot will change in the next 10 years. Here are our bold, youth-centered predictions for where the future generations are trying to take us (and why you should follow along!)

Youth Demand New Ways to Democratize

It’s no secret that Gen Z is the most culturally and racially diverse generation that the U.S. has ever seen. The estimated number of Gen Z voters is set to rise in 2024 by eight million compared to 2022. This group is ready to take their voice to the voting booth and impact elections in an enormous way. As for long-term predictions, we expect young people to pressure officials to lower the voting age to 16, offer citizen assemblies and expand automatic voter registration as innovative ways to break through the voting and law-making impasses the country currently finds itself in. 

In the U.S., businesses are rewarded for disruptive business solutions, yet our politics remain often stuck in the mud. Young people will demand better to create a more inclusive and representative democracy.

A New Social Media Platform… or None At All

Nine in ten teenagers (13-17) are watching YouTube. Behind that, TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram are all widely and consistently used among this age demographic, according to a recent Pew study. Many of these teens are logging over four hours a day on the platforms. Unfortunately, a robust linear association exists between increased social media use and perceived social isolation. Research also shows these platforms are correlated with increased rates of teen depression and low self-esteem. Experts see Gen Alpha shifting away from spending time on social media. If the right social media platform comes along with a strong stance on data privacy and intentional content that connects and inspires young people, well that would accomplish the vision of social media to begin with. 

Until a social media platform like that scales to the masses and disrupts TikTok and Meta, your marketing will still have to lean heavily on these platforms. But consider, is there something your company could be doing to advocate or model more responsible and accountable social media practices? Consider this a New Year’s Resolution for your marketing team.

“Gactivism” Cements Itself in the World of Young People

The gaming industry’s revenue is bigger than the film and music industry combined. In the U.S., 18-34-year-olds make up the largest share of gamers (36%), followed by under 18-year-olds (24%). As someone who spent his formative years trying to catch Pokémon, I never thought that gaming would have the attention of the world as it does today. However, social commentary wasn’t evident when I was trying to catch Pikachu on my Gameboy. Gen Z and Gen A’s experience will be different. As we see a paradigm shift for young people into the digital world, their digital identities are increasingly an extension of themselves. Gaming and activism, or “Gactivism,” speak to how social commentary will be inextricably linked with a new generation of gaming that will not only teach young people about cause areas, but equip them to take action. Last year, Riders Republic mobilized players to take action around digital reforestation including encouraging them to collect and plant seeds, attend an in-game climate march, collect special outfits, and communicate through new emotes that showed solidarity for climate justice. 

If we see Gen Z and Gen A shift strongly away from social media, they’ll still find a new platform to be online and uncover community. Visionary brands have the opportunity to meet young people where they are by entering these spaces as themselves, and on behalf of the causes they advocate for. Whether it’s a virtual protest, modeling more sustainable consumer behavior in a game, or hosting new spaces for discourse, you have a chance to pave the way for this new frontier of in-game activism.

The Hyper-Personalization of Activism

What the Industrial Revolution meant for the physical world is what the AI Revolution will mean for the digital world. The highly personalized applications of AI are limitless. From feedback on classroom assignments, to a chatbot that can talk to you about your feelings, young people will increasingly put their thoughts, ideas and emotions into digital applications. It won’t be long before AI can offer young people hyper-personalized recommendations and solutions to the causes they are passionate about. AI will soon be able to identify a young person’s strengths as it relates to activism (whether that be advocacy, direct action, community organization or something else), and provide customized recommendations for how they can lean into their civic identity to affect change. DoSomething itself is exploring our own way to harness AI to empower young people to pursue their civic responsibilities (stay tuned!) Brands should expect their young consumers and employees to be smarter and faster when it comes to activism, and they will expect you to step up to the plate.

AI Emerges as a Source for Better Sensemaking

Imagine giving a pair of jeans a personality and a megaphone to communicate. IDEO programmed AI to take on the persona of jeans and share its lifecycle, preferences, and other viewpoints to facilitate an empathetic dialogue with young people. As the article states, “Most of the sustainability problems we seek to fix were created in the design and strategy choices that were made early on in a product’s journey… ​​AI can help us incorporate a real sense of the ‘true cost’ of a product and give nature a seat at the table early on.” Did I have young people engaging in conversations with jeans on my 2023 bingo card? No way. But, it makes sense the more you think about it. Being able to uncover social context and hidden perspectives is always a value-add for driving social change and tackling problems in new ways — even when it’s an inanimate object. 

Gen Z is quick to adopt new technology, and AI is no different. They will have mastered AI by the time that you remember your Chat GPT password and I personally can’t wait to see the innovative conversations they have with plants, animals, and, dare I say, aliens. Lean on them to help you tackle social problems with outside-the-box solutions, alongside some potentially unsuspecting stakeholders, that will require fresh perspectives on the power of AI.

Gen V(irtual) Finds Empathy Through Time Travel

We’ve all had moments in our lives where we forgot about our present reality and became absorbed in a museum, movie, book or game that took us to a faraway land. Where, for a moment, we felt as if we were present for some of the most consequential slices of history. Young people are moving away from relying solely on textbooks and the traditional ways of learning about history and instead put on headsets where they can feel, hear, sense, and embrace hyperrealistic moments in time. Thinking about the Roman Empire lately? Programmers will take you to shadow Romulus, the last of the Roman emperors, as he was overthrown. Interested in learning more about the U.S.’s southern border crisis? Take yourself through a harrowing border trek. At a moment in time when politicians are fighting over curricula and banning books, it's more essential than ever that young people understand the history of social movements. 

Virtual reality can help us look back to look forward. It's the missing context young people need (and often inherently don't have) to make them strong, empathetic activists. Ask yourself, does your company have an opportunity to use virtual reality to foster better educational experiences?

New Models of Centering Youth Voices Will Emerge

Gen Z and millennials currently make up around 38% of the global workforce and will reach 58% by 2030. However, the average age of a U.S. board member is over 60. This disconnect frustrates young people, who often feel left out of the decision-making process. Some companies decided to change that. The Body Shop, an international personal-care brand, spent the last few years honing its Youth Collective Council of under-30-somethings who have a voice in their boardroom and in business decisions. Other companies, many of whom DSS has worked with, host youth hackathons which lead to new programs, campaigns and business decisions for the brands that recognize the value of younger stakeholders. As a brand, lean into starting your own youth council to put young people, as consumers, as employees, as citizens, at the center of your next strategy 

The College Opt-Out

Between an average year of college in the U.S. costing $36,436 per year and a continued decrease in American trust in higher education, it’s not surprising to see that undergraduate college enrollment has declined almost 9% between 2019 and 2023. With young people opting out of college and electing to embrace “non-traditional” pathways, it means brands will have to adjust. For one, if you’re going after only college graduates, you’re recruiting from a smaller talent pool. Is a college degree truly necessary for some of the entry-level positions you’re hiring for? If not, you have a chance to join the ensemble of companies that are hiring those who have not graduated with a degree. Consider what other pipelines you might create for talent, whether that be expanding on mentorship opportunities at vocational schools, or hosting career fairs that are intentionally inclusive of those who might otherwise be left out. While a college degree is a great decision for many, education has never been more democratized than it is today. You should opt-in to explore how to tap into the talent pool of those who may have opted out of college.

Looking ahead

There’s no question, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are shaking things up! They're preparing to make a big impact on elections, pushing for changes like automating voter registration and hosting citizen assemblies. Social media's still big, but watch out for a shift away from the usual suspects due to mental health concerns. "Gactivism" is on the rise, blending gaming and activism. AI's getting personal, offering tailored activism solutions. Virtual reality's not just for games—it's an empathy-building tool and a window into the past. Companies need to get with the program, embracing youth voices and rethinking hiring strategies as college opt-outs increase.

Do you have your own predictions for the future of young people? We’d love to hear them. You can reach me and the rest of the DoSomething Strategic team at hello@dosomething.org.