What happens when a generation that represents a significant share of the world’s population is constantly described as “the future”, but is rarely given enough opportunity to shape the present?
This question is increasingly important at a time when societies across the world are confronting inequality, unemployment, climate change, technological disruption and unequal access to quality education and decent work. Young people are not simply waiting for their turn to address these challenges; they are already experiencing them and, in many communities, developing responses to them.
UNESCO notes that people under 30 make up more than half of the global population and describes young people as important drivers of sustainable development, innovation and social transformation.
Across schools, universities, businesses, community organizations and digital spaces, young people are creating initiatives, volunteering, advocating for environmental protection, conducting research and using technology to address social problems. They are contributing to society in ways that demonstrate that sustainable social development cannot be achieved by treating young people merely as beneficiaries of development programmes. They must be recognized as active citizens, partners, innovators and contributors. The familiar expression that young people are “leaders of tomorrow” therefore needs to be reconsidered. Young people are already participating in and shaping their communities today, and their experiences and ideas should have a meaningful place in conversations about development.
Education is one of the most important foundations for this participation. If young people are expected to contribute to sustainable social development, education must prepare them for more than examinations and employment. It should develop critical thinking, communication, creativity, leadership, digital literacy, civic responsibility and problem-solving. UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development framework emphasizes that education should equip people with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to contribute to a more sustainable world. Students should therefore be encouraged to identify challenges within their schools and communities and think critically about possible solutions. Schools and universities can create opportunities for students to participate in discussions about issues that affect their education and wellbeing, conduct community-based research, organize social initiatives and contribute to institutional decision-making. Student councils, youth forums and classroom discussions become more valuable when young people are given genuine opportunities to influence outcomes rather than simply being invited to speak. This is not merely an idealistic argument.
UNESCO’s 2026 work on youth participation in education found that only about one in three governments are required by law or policy to engage youth in shaping education policy, while young people frequently report that their contributions do not meaningfully affect decisions.
Education can therefore become a pathway to active citizenship, helping young people understand not only how society works, but also how they can contribute to improving it.
Young people are already demonstrating this potential through community development, entrepreneurship, environmental action and social innovation. Community initiatives can include literacy programmes, peer mentoring, volunteering, environmental campaigns, digital-skills training and projects supporting vulnerable groups. Entrepreneurship can provide young people with opportunities to create solutions, generate income and contribute to employment within their communities. However, turning ideas into sustainable ventures requires more than enthusiasm. Young people need access to mentorship, finance, technology, networks and supportive institutions. Environmental action provides another important area for youth leadership, with young people participating in climate advocacy, conservation, recycling and environmental education. UNESCO’s current Education for Sustainable Development work includes empowering and mobilizing youth and accelerating action at the local level, while its global programmes highlight examples of young people leading environmental initiatives in different parts of the world. At the same time, young people’s familiarity with digital technologies and social media allows them to communicate ideas, mobilize communities and connect local concerns to wider conversations. Social innovation often begins by questioning an existing approach and asking whether a problem can be addressed differently. When young people are given the freedom to experiment, collaborate and learn from failure, they can become important sources of new solutions to persistent social challenges.
For young people to become genuine partners in sustainable social development, institutions must make deliberate changes.
1. Education systems must create meaningful opportunities for participation. Student councils, youth forums and classroom discussions should have a real connection to decisions affecting students and their communities.
2. Policymakers must move beyond consultation. Young people should not only be asked for their opinions; governments and institutions should demonstrate how their contributions influenced policies and programmes and explain when recommendations cannot be adopted. UNESCO’s recent youth-participation work makes this distinction clear, emphasizing formal mechanisms, transparent representation, adequate resources and feedback as important elements of meaningful engagement.
3. Young people need practical skills. Leadership, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, critical thinking, communication and problem-solving should be treated as essential elements of education.
4. Institutions must invest in youth-led ideas. Small grants, mentorship programmes, innovation hubs, research opportunities and partnerships can provide the support needed to transform promising ideas into sustainable projects.
5. Adults must be willing to share space and responsibility. Youth participation should not be viewed as a competition between generations. Adults bring experience, knowledge and institutional understanding, while young people contribute fresh perspectives, creativity, energy and an understanding of emerging challenges. Sustainable development requires these strengths to work together.
These changes must also account for the diversity of young people. Their opportunities and experiences differ according to socioeconomic background, gender, disability, location, access to technology and educational opportunities. Meaningful participation must therefore include those whose voices are most likely to be overlooked rather than allowing only the most visible or privileged young people to speak for an entire generation.
Ultimately, sustainable social development is about creating societies in which people have opportunities to learn, participate, work, contribute and live with dignity. Young people have a central role in achieving this vision, but their role must be understood in terms of the present rather than postponed to the future. They need education that equips them to participate, institutions that take their contributions seriously, mentors who can guide them, resources that allow their ideas to grow and genuine opportunities to contribute to decisions that affect their lives. At the same time, empowering young people does not mean excluding older generations. Sustainable development is strongest when generations work together, combining experience and institutional knowledge with creativity, new perspectives and a willingness to question established approaches.
This is increasingly reflected in international education policy: UNESCO’s current youth agenda places young people at the centre of discussions about education beyond 2030 and describes them as co-creators of the education systems they will inherit and shape.
The challenge for governments, educators, communities and development organizations is therefore to move from speaking about young people to working with them. When young people are given the trust, skills, opportunities and resources to participate meaningfully, they become more than beneficiaries of development—they become co-creators of it. The real question is no longer what young people can do for sustainable development, but what sustainable development could look like when young people are given a genuine opportunity to help shape it.
References
UNESCO. (2026). Empowering youth to shape education policy. 22 January 2026.
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/empowering-youth-shape-education-policy
UNESCO. (2026). International Day of Education 2026 celebrates the power of youth as co-creators of education. 14 January 2026; updated 23 January 2026.
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/international-day-education-2026-celebrates-power-youth-co-creators-education
UNESCO. (2026). What you need to know about education for sustainable development. Updated 8 April 2026.
https://www.unesco.org/en/sustainable-development/education/need-know
UNESCO. (2026). Youth and student consultations to shape the agenda of education beyond 2030. 3 July 2026; updated 16 July 2026.
https://www.unesco.org/sdg4education2030/en/articles/youth-and-student-consultations-shape-agenda-education-beyond-2030
UNESCO. (2026). Education beyond 2030: Global youth and student consultations to shape the future education agenda. 10 April 2026; updated 16 July 2026.
https://www.unesco.org/sdg4education2030/en/articles/education-beyond-2030-global-youth-and-student-consultations-shape-future-education-agenda
UNESCO. (2026). International Day of Education 2026: The Power of Youth in Co-Creating Education — Concept Note. UNESCO, January 2026.
https://www.unesco.org/sites/default/files/medias/fichiers/2025/12/IDE_2026_Concept_Note.pdf
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Oluwatosin Osemeobo is an educator, writer, speaker, and School Sustainability Strategist with decades of experience at the intersection of education, Sustainability, leadership, and human development. An AFS Global Up–certified educator with deep expertise in intercultural learning and global competence, he operates at the intersection of future skills and sustainable development, empowering schools and educators to move beyond intention and achieve lasting impact.
His academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Education from Obafemi Awolowo University, advanced certifications from the Open University (UK) and the University of Cambridge, and specialized training through the UN Climate Change platform, covering inclusive leadership, the SDGs, trade and rights frameworks, and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
As a Transformational Thought Leader and coach, Tosin has worked with teachers and professionals across multiple countries, equipping them to lead with clarity, adaptability, and purpose. His approach blends practical strategy with deep insight into how people and institutions actually change.
As a writer, he explores the ideas he is most invested in: sustainability, education reform, teacher wellbeing, global competence, and what it truly takes to build schools that serve the future. His work speaks to educators, policymakers, and anyone who believes that transforming education is one of the most important things a generation can do.
Tosin is a sought-after speaker and strategic consultant, and is based in Abuja, Nigeria. He is open to speaking engagements, writing commissions, consulting, and partnerships with organizations working on school sustainability, future skills, and human-centered education globally.
Email: tosemeobo@gmail.com Phone: +234 806 561 1550
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/oluwatosin-osemeobo-9b8a7a12a
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