YouGovStone and www.oneyoungworld.com Study Shows 10 Key Trends Among Young People Worldwide That Will Define the Future
New York-Feb. 05, 2010-Research conducted by YouGovStone, a U.K.-based market research agency, has revealed a new breed of young professionals-being dubbed the Real-Time Generation-in what is thought to be the largest-ever youth research project of its kind.
The study of more than 15,000 people worldwide ages 23 to 28 was commissioned in the lead-up to www.oneyoungworld.com , the world's first global youth leadership summit, taking place at the ExCeL Centre in London beginning Monday, Feb. 8, and running through Feb. 10.
About 700 delegates age 25 and under from most of the world's 192 countries will meet at One Young World to discuss, debate and vote on draft resolutions focused on some of today's most pressing issues. The resolutions will be presented to the United Nations, the G-8 and the G-20.
One Young World has been called "Young Davos" by some sections of the media and has caught the attention of many leaders across the globe who have pledged their support and attendance as counselors. Kofi Annan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWuwpGMRZjw), Sir Bob Geldof (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIQ0FaqMqLQ ) and Archbishop Desmond Tutu (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXSHBrmd7oY) are all pledging support through YouTube and other outlets. They are among a long list of international luminaries attending as key counselors during the three-day summit.
With more than 29,000 users of its Facebook application (http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=80180539590&ref=ts) and thousands of followers on www.youtube.com/oneyoungworld and www.twitter.com/oneyoungworld, the massive following of www.oneyoungworld.com globally shows how the Real-Time Generation has harnessed the power of new media for social change and views the world in an entirely different way.
Leading trendspotter Marian Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, North America-part of the company whose global CEO, David Jones, founded One Young World-has isolated 10 key trends that mark this generation of young people:
- The Real-Time Generation has real-time expectations. If information or communication is not happening in real time, it's not considered relevant or even interesting.
- Life is lived locally by the Real-Time Generation. In a strange twist, the universality of social media lets 20-somethings locally configure their social networks and online information.
- Radical transparency is an assumed part of their lives. Reality TV and the openness of the Internet means that for the Real-Time Generation, if it exists or occurred, it can be found online.
- The world is free, or at least cheap. The Real-Time Generation came up in the age of inexpensive manufacturing and free Web service. To them, rock-bottom prices are simply expected.
- Luxury is the norm. The steep rise in standards of living and the proliferation of what once were considered luxury goods got the Real-Times used to the good life.
- Entertainment is a must. Whether it's to learn a new language, make a phone call or even pump gas into their car, entertainment is an ever-present reality that Real-Times won't go without.
- Global concern underpins their lives. Even as they insist on entertainment, they're ardent about the environment, economic justice, world health and poverty.
- Pro-business, but anti-multinational, the Real-Time Generation sees global business as a potential for positive change but is well aware of its tendency toward excess and abuse.
- Media bias is understood as a constant, and, thus, regulation is required, according to Real-Times, to ensure that the media maintains its independence from government and business.
- Naturally focused on "me," but aspiring to "we," the Real-Time Generation learned from boomer parents about the primacy of individuality but still believes that no individual is truly happy while others suffer.
www.oneyoungworld.com will launch on Feb. 8, 2010, in London at the ExCeL Centre and will also be streamed live on www.oneyoungworld.com
To learn more about One Young World, please visit www.oneyoungworld.com, www.youtube.com/oneyoungworld
Or follow OYW on Twitter www.twitter.com/oneyoungworld