The document discusses getting young people to step out of their digital comfort zones. It argues that while young people are experts with technology, they mostly use social media for peer interactions and lack clear ways to engage with institutions. To motivate youth, it suggests providing them with tools to start engaging ("Where do I start?") and ways to take next steps in their involvement ("What can I do?"). Examples like coffee meetups and challenge activities are presented as ways to bridge the gap between youth and industry leaders to their mutual benefit. The document concludes by suggesting that if organizations facilitated more connections between youth and their members through activities like coffee chats, it could help co-create meaningful impacts.
4. Let’s examine it
• If you ask my parents, they would
agree. Because I always fix their
(VCR) Apple TV and smartphone.
• If you ask industry/government,
they would agree too. Because
they’re always playing catchup
with this audience in the digital
realm.
• If you ask employers, they too
would agree because young
people are driving and dictating all
kinds of technological innovations
in the workplace.
@tomashd
5. And yet, we know that there is a lot of room
for improvement in terms of getting young
people to do more, especially through the
power of digital.
@tomashd
6. My hypothesis:
There is a digital comfort zone and it’s our job to get
young people to step out of it.
@tomashd
7. About me
1. Flipped burgers at
Wonderland
2. Landscaping
3. Ride attendant at
Wonderland
4. Telemarketing
5. Door to door sales
6. Lifeguard
7. Lifeguard team lead
8. Marketing team lead
9. Marketing Manager
10.Account Director
11.Product Director
@tomashd
Jobs I’ve had in the last 10 years (or so):
8. Let’s start with social media
What do we know?
• Young people are EXPERTS
• Mostly used for P2P
interactions
• Makes everyone a publisher
(creator) but not of the types
of things we as industry care
about
@tomashd
9. How does that affect the
social/digital identity?
• Most digital identities are co-
created with peers based on
group and personal interests
• There is no clear cut place to
engage and be engaged. Not
because it doesn’t exist but
because it isn’t clear where
and what I should do
• If engage with institutions its
because of affinity and for the
purpose of consumption
@tomashd
10. But we don’t want
followers…
We want to engage!
@tomashd
11. Where do we start?
We need to help youth in two areas:
• First steps: “Where do I start?”
• Next steps: “What can I do to?”
@tomashd
21. Ten Thousand Coffees
We’re on a mission to connect students, recent grads, and young
professionals with industry leaders and experts over a cup of coffee.
@tomashd
23. a tragic love story
Industry and youth both want to co-create but don’t know how
because they don’t use the same tools in the same ways.
@tomashd
24. Our Mission
Unlock opportunity for the next generation by:
• Democratize Opportunity - Conversations that
otherwise wouldn't happen
• Mutual Benefit - Great Ideas, Motivation, and
Inspiration for both leaders and the next
generation
• Shape What’s Next - Co-create real world impact
@tomashd
25. The new love story
…both sides can tap into each other’s potential
@tomashd
27. This perception helps youth as much as it
hurts them because it creates a certain apathy
in the leaders of today and leaves them in the
comfort zone of a technology space they
understand best.
@tomashd
28. This is one motivated group
13
0M
26
2M
0
70
140
210
280
2012 2025
Global Student
Population
14%
34%
21%
16%
15%
# of jobs seekers applied to
in 30 days
0 1-5 6-10 11-20 20+
@tomashd
29. What’s next?
In order to engage motivated young people in a way
that gets them out of their digital comfort zone we need
to give them two things:
• Tools
• Signals
@tomashd
31. What happens next:
• The resume is no longer a single document
• Youth are more than ready to co-create, just need
the tools and signals
• We need to stop asking youth to do stuff for us
and start asking to do it with us
@tomashd
32. What could you do?
• If you could have every member of your
organization go for 10,000 coffee chats with
young people, what kind of impact
(industry/youth) would you want to create?
----- Meeting Notes (2014-05-22 17:05) -----
Why should you believe me
----- Meeting Notes (2014-05-22 17:05) -----
Important for two reasons:
- My identity dictates my behaviour
- As young people grow their professional identity will emerge and is going to include all that they did in social
- New Nike vs Policy change example