How can we make the world a better place for young people?

University of Cambridge

In this episode of So Now What, host Catherine Galloway talks to Gates Cambridge scholars Kevin Beckford, Emma Soneson, and Blanca Piera Pi Sunyer to discuss the pressing issues facing today's youth. The conversation explores the importance of empowering young people, the role of community and culture in their development, and the need for systemic change in education and mental health support. The scholars share their insights on how to harness the energy of young people to create a brighter future, emphasizing the significance of supportive environments and the necessity of listening to youth voices in shaping policies that affect them. Takeaways Young people are powerful agents of change. Community support is crucial for youth development. Mental health should be prioritized in education. Adversity can have cumulative negative effects on health. Empowering youth requires systemic change in institutions. Resilience should be reframed to focus on support, not just endurance. Education should promote exploration and self-discovery. Youth voices must be included in decision-making processes. Creating supportive environments can buffer against adversity. A visionary approach is needed to reimagine society for young people. 00:00 Introduction to youth empowerment and impact 02:58 Harnessing the energy of young people 06:07 The role of community and culture in youth development 08:54 Exploring opportunities for young people 12:03 The importance of mental health in education 15:04 Creating supportive environments for adolescents 18:12 Reimagining education for young people 20:58 The need for systemic change 23:55 Resilience vs. hustling: a new perspective 27:01 Global perspectives on youth challenges 29:56 Visioning a better future for young people Kevin Beckford [2011] is the co-founder and a board member of The Hustlers Guild, a non-profit that uses hip hop to expand access and opportunity to Black and Latinx youth in the innovation space. He is also Senior Associate, Parnerships and Engagement at the Pretrial Justice Institute. From 2020 to 2022 he was an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity from 2020 to 2022 and from 2014-2016, Kevin worked in the White House Presidential Correspondence Office. He also served as a special advisor to Secretary Julian Castro at the US Department of Housing and Development. Blanca Piera Pi-Sunyer [2021] is a final year PhD student at the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge working on social inequalities and socioemotional difficulties during adolescence. Emma Soneson [2018] is a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry. She maintains a broad research profile within the field of child and adolescent mental health but is especially interested in the intersections between mental health and education.