Hello and welcome to our fifth Youth Update! We’re talking about how Gen Alpha are coming, the Olympics, micropreneurship and our word of the month!
HOT TOPIC: Gen Alpha are coming!
Move out the way Gen Z, Generation Alpha are coming! Born between the years of 2010-2024, the first wave of Generation Alpha are entering into secondary school and 11+ youth groups this September.
Growing up immersed in smart technology and living through a global pandemic, much about this generation’s characteristics wait to be seen but to get a snapshot why not take a look at this nifty infographic (https://mccrindle.com.au/wp-content/uploads/infographics/Generation-Alpha-Infographic-2021.pdf) or condenast’s predictions for marketing to this generation? (https://cnda.condenast.co.uk/wired/UnderstandingGenerationAlpha.pdf)
POP CULTURE: Olympics
We’ve seen some exceptional gold medal wins for Team GB this year, but alongside this have come some amazing memes (see Tom Daley’s knitting and the artistic swimming entrances!). This year has also seen Great Britain’s youngest ever Olympian in the form of bronze-winning Sky Brown (aged 13) who snapped up her medal in skateboarding!
But perhaps one of the most memorable moments this year has been Simone Biles’ decision to take a step back from the competition to look after herself regarding her mental health. It’s a loud and clear message to the upcoming generation that even the biggest of moments in life can be put on hold when mental health takes precedence.
TRENDS: Micropreneurship
Like entrepreneurship but on a smaller scale. It’s no secret that Gen Z don’t love hierarchical authority, take initiative and love a bit of a side hustle. In fact, Forbes did a survey that showed that 54% of young people and young adults aspire to be entrepreneurs, be their own boss and start their own company.
We can see this on the micro when perusing Instagram and TikTok and see how young people are taking up online jobs, making jewellery, selling resin art and painting commissions as well as selling clothes on apps like Depop and Vinted. With the internet at their fingertips, starting a small business from the comfort of their homes has never been easier.
Word of the Month:
‘Stan’ = to be supportive or a fan of something. For example, ‘I stan harry styles’ means I am a fan of harry styles.
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