For everyone Activating a new generation
For economist Alison Pennington, author of Gen F’d?: How young Australians can reclaim their uncertain futures, our younger generation carry the unenviable predicament of being the most educated yet, but with far less meaningful job or living options than their parents.
While young people today are a generation of digital natives, they have also been fed the empty promise that if they work hard like their parents they will succeed. However, Pennington’s forensic research shows that decades of neoliberal government policy has whittled away the ‘fair go’ and created structural economic disadvantage for young people.
“This was the promise of Australia – one’s hard work was once sufficient to secure a good life. For many young people staring down the barrel of a long working life without the prospect of owning a home, the question they ask is: ‘What is the point of work?’ ‘What is the point of trying?’” says Alison.
Combined with the interruptions caused by COVID-19, the all-consuming distraction of social media, and a general sense of social malaise, many young people don’t see a clear pathway into a worthwhile and nourishing career trajectory. In 2025, most immediate career options mean navigating the casualisation of the workforce and insecure housing, while trying to keep the trauma of a warming and warring planet at bay.
“[Unions need to] better connect bread-and-butter issues of job quality and pay to the era-defining crises for young people such as housing, war, and climate change.”
– Alison Pennington
“Since writing the book, I think the illusions of consumerism and ‘work as your identity’ are dissolving more and more for young people,” Alison says. “Social media is also a less attractive distraction as users’ mental health and agency is being clearly compromised.
“These powerful and profitable distractions are increasingly failing to mask the big structural problems eating away at young people’s sense of security and confidence in the future. I hold some hope that as the fog lifts, more people will seek new ways to connect and make change.”
Pennington’s compelling book isn’t in the business of indulging the current generation’s sense of despair, but rather putting forward a set of tools for how to create the changes needed to steer their lives in more nourishing directions.
“I don’t believe any government can lead the ground-up revitalisation and reimagination of a better world that we desperately need – and it’s dangerous to continue believing in this form of leadership. We need to look to each other for solutions. That’s why Gen F’d? calls for young people – and all Australians – to become more active in the decisions determining their lives.”
She says, despite the efforts of unions to attract more young people over the past decades, internet-based tactics haven’t always worked – largely because unionism isn’t a passive act, but rather relies on people recognising themselves as part of a collective, being willing to invest time to understand how unionism can be a force for social good.
“To empower young people to engage in unionism – let them run campaigns, democratise decision-making, and make their contributions appear more tangible,” she says. “And invest in mentoring young leaders who show potential to lead the future movement.”
That means providing more social and political spaces for young people to discuss real issues, expanding the remit of unions to better connect bread-and-butter issues of job quality and pay to the era-defining crises for young people such as housing, war and climate change.
“Provide avenues for the outcomes of those real forums to connect to the union’s position. This is a very different approach to ‘youth’ social or training events, which can be interpreted as tokenistic to many young people,” Alison concludes.
Top 10 political enagagement activities for students
- Join the student union
- Start a school club
- Draft a petition about an issue you care about
- Learn how our democracy, parliament, and voting system works
- Volunteer for an organisation whose aims you support
- Join the youth climate movement
- Organise a group to visit your local MP
- Get involved with Junior Landcare
- Learn more about our Indigenous history
- Join the debating club and learn how to argue your position!
Resources for students and teachers
- Parliamentary Education Office
- Australia Electoral Commission: teachers resources
- Civics & Citizenship: resources for young people
- Build a Ballot
- School Strike 4 Climate
- The Commons Social Change Library
- Koori Curriculum
- Museum of Australian Democracy: activities and resources
- Contacting your local MP: Victoria
- Contacting Senators and Members: Federal Parliament
