Despite all the social and economic progress we’ve made in the past century, many challenges remain. And these disproportionately affect young people.
As a young adult today, you are stressed about today and anxious about tomorrow. And with good reason.
- You face an uncertain future, and that is very unsettling.
- The rapidly changing nature of work means you are not being prepared for tomorrow’s jobs.
- You are forced to suffer an educational system that is outdated and doesn’t work for most people.
- Increasing financialization and financial inequality means that most of you are, or will be, constantly worrying about your economic present and future.
- Being digital natives, you are never unplugged, which means you seldom have opportunity to step back rest, reset and refresh. Despite living in this highly connected world, you feel increasingly isolated and alone.
- Many of you are ill-equipped to navigate the responsibilities and challenges of life after leaving home.
- The digital world has unleashed abhorrent behavior that couldn’t be contemplated a generation ago, and this is affecting your mental and physical health.
- In the same vein, contemporary civic discourse has turned nasty, polarizing families and communities.
- You wrestle with the dichotomy of the world as it should be, as propounded by parents and teachers, and the way the world really is, as you experience it.
- You often feel your life lacks meaning, direction or purpose.
- Like preceding generations, you have absorbed many of the insecurities and failings of your parents and are hostage to their hopes and fears. You attempt to create a life heavily influenced by parents, coaches, teachers, and questionable role models, which means you are not living your authentic life.
- You are well-intentioned and idealistic – you see the problems all around you and want to make the world a better place but feel ill-equipped and ill-prepared to do so.
Despite the enormous challenges that you face, individually and collectively, there are many reasons to be cautiously optimistic about the future.
- You are more socially aware than prior generations.
- You want to live a life of meaning and purpose.
- Perhaps it is the idealism of youth, but you appear less willing to cede the moral high ground.
- You are correct in demanding systemic change. The system that benefitted many in prior generations is not serving you today and is expected to serve your needs even less in the coming years.
- The tools to make positive change already exist.
- The attributes that you are criticized for – idealism, compassion, inclusivity, repudiation of the old ways – are the very ones that will enable you to remake the world in your image, creating a better world for all.
In this endeavor, despite your best intentions, you face several key obstacles
- You often have an incomplete or faulty understanding about how today’s various systems operate.
- You often lack the relevant knowledge, skills, and tools to understand and effect change.
- You don’t always know how to turn your passion for social innovation and change into a viable career.
Welcome to Novamaya…