Young people had their worlds turned upside down by the pandemic, with over half of UK’s Gen Zers (born 1996-2009) saying it has disrupted their long-term plans. But they’re still facing the future with resilience. Brands should harness this generation’s wave of proactive optimism, as well as court the impending Gen Alpha consumer.

While living predominantly online comes with its benefits, we can’t ignore the threats facing today’s teens as they explore social media and virtual reality. Investing in youth-centric digital literacy is key. New initiatives seize on kids’ favourite digital channels (see Teen Vogue’s series) or gamified set-ups as a conduit for online safety lessons.

Covid restrictions have had a tangible impact on children and teens’ mental, physical and emotional health globally, posing long-term risks to their holistic wellbeing. To coach beneficial lifestyle habits from a young age, shrewd stakeholders are tapping the fun-filled domains of leisure, art and culture – think of it as a ‘self-care by stealth’ strategy.

Lost time in the classroom and stagnating youth employment are making teenagers turn away from the classic class-to-college-to-career path, necessitating a new approach from both educators and employers. Investing in snackable skills and aspirational apprenticeships will help prevent younger generations from getting left behind.