Today’s young generation – 16-25-year-olds – are facing many social problems that may also raise concerns for their future. On 28 November 2019, the European Parliament declared a climate emergency, which several countries have joined at a national level. The emergency is already the result of a long and complex process, for which solutions have been and are being proposed that require radical, individual and collective changes, and for which no collective compliance can guarantee a complete change or an end to the emergency. This has come as a shock to the young generation of that time and today, as it has become clear that their future and that of their children is at stake in the present, and that unity is therefore not only a means of tackling acute problems but also, without exaggeration, the fate of humanity. Thus, young people who learn about these news and processes are understandably anxious and have a dystopian vision of the future.
In 2020, COVID-19 brought a catastrophic experience for the whole world, resulting in permanent mental distress due to the sudden increase in deaths, the confined forced lifestyle, and the FoMo experience (Fearing of missing out is a term when young people feel strong anxiety when they think they missed some socially important event what is can be both online and offline) of the younger generation.
From 2022 onwards, the Russian-Ukrainian war and the subsequent energy crisis will also leave a psychological imprint on young people in European countries who are suffering the effects of war from a distance, or who are living in welfare and democracy but are sensitive to world events.
Of course, it can be said that every era has had its tragedies and traumas, that humanity has lived through and overcome much more difficult times, but one of the specialities of the modern age is that with the existence of the internet, information about world events is spread much faster and more accurately (or even more credibly), giving us a greater and deeper insight into the events of the day, especially negative ones. This mass of information makes it more difficult to use the media in a conscious way and also leads to more panic reactions, which can cause young people further concern about their future prospects.
Therefore, utopian thinking is very difficult in the context of our world today, but paradoxically, we are most able to step back from reality and dream big when reality poses serious and severe challenges to our daily lives and our room for manoeuvre. Although the concept of utopia is well known, it is not used with much awareness by people, including in youth work.
It is a cliché that many young people try to think about their future with great ambitions, plans, and even world-changing goals and dreams, but it cannot be repeated enough that they are the future, so some of their ideas in the present are very valuable.
Several studies have shown that participation in a constructive, supportive and sustaining community leads to holistic well-being. Well-being is a goodwill builder for creativity. The internet has brought not only information flow and immediacy to young people’s lives but also limitless opportunities for networking. They are able to make friends from all over the world and think of joint projects with them. Under-organised local or even global communities, coming together and acting on shared values can or has already brought young people the experience of revaluing life, having a vision and being critical observers of the world.
In order to create these communities, key players, alongside young people, are professionals who are involved in some form of youth work, whether they are individuals working on the ground, researchers or even competent decision-makers. Support, understanding, encouragement, recognition, acceptance and solidarity can lift up young people with fewer opportunities. They can believe again and even dream together of a world that, although it will always remain utopian, will inspire them and all relevant actors to make great and positive changes and transformations.