By Stephen Skeet, Director of Business Development and Partnerships
The online world isn’t just something young people use. It’s where they connect, learn, create and figure out who they are. It’s a huge part of growing up today. As it continues to evolve, one thing is clear. Young people should not just experience this space. They should help shape it.
Because who understands growing up online better than the people living it every day?
This work builds on our support for the launch of the National Youth Strategy and its “Be Seen and Heard” strand, which calls for young people to have meaningful influence over the decisions that affect their lives. This consultation is a clear example of that in practice, creating space for young people to shape systems, not just respond to them.
That’s why we’re proud to be a delivery partner for the #iWill Movement, together with UK Youth, supporting a UK-wide consultation led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on what it really means to grow up online today.
This consultation is about listening properly. Not ticking boxes or making assumptions, but creating real opportunities for children, young people and families to share their experiences and influence what comes next.
Working alongside Savanta, who are leading the research, the #iWill Movement will drive the youth engagement. That means national surveys, co-design sessions and a series of youth-led Hack events taking place across the UK.
Our role is simple. Make sure young people can show up, speak out and be heard.
Through the #iWill Movement, we are creating the space, support and conditions for young people to take part in ways that feel meaningful, not tokenistic. Because this work only matters if young people have genuine influence over the outcomes.
At its heart, this is about power. Communities are stronger when people help shape the decisions that affect their lives. When it comes to the online world, young people are not just stakeholders. They are experts.
When you give young people the chance to lead, they bring honesty, creativity and fresh thinking. They challenge assumptions. They see what others miss. They come up with solutions grounded in real life, not theory.
That is why a group of Youth Collaborators will be central to this work. They will not just take part. They will help shape the consultation itself. From designing Hack events to interpreting findings, they will play an active role in steering the direction of the work.
This is not about asking young people for their views and moving on. It is about building something with them.
There are clear ways to get involved. Surveys are now open for young people, parents and carers, offering a chance to share honest experiences of life online. In May, youth-led Hack events will bring young people together to explore challenges, spark ideas and develop solutions that feed directly into the consultation.
This is a real opportunity to do things differently.
To make sure the future of the online world reflects the voices of those growing up in it, not just those observing from the outside.
We believe in the power of people to shape their communities. And we believe just as strongly in the power of young people to shape their future.
Not tomorrow. Now.
