Young Voices Council 2026 Randi Millard and Lisa Giuliani Ask someone who never experienced futures what the future is and they reach for prediction. They treat it like a destination on a map. Ask a room of adults and you hear the same echoes: "AI will change everything." "The economy will shift." "The climate will..." They trail off because they don't know. Nobody does. That gap between wanting to know and not being able to is where most people stop. We didn't stop. We are Generation Futures. We are the Young Voices Council. Today, we show you what that means.

Youth Facilitators: Enya, Niharika & Jae Co-facilitators: Lionel Goh & Carol Lim Youth learn far more about life outside the classroom than we often acknowledge. Across communities and cultures, young people gravitate towards informal, neutral spaces that feel psychologically safe, accessible, and socially open — neighbourhood hangouts, libraries, community hubs, online-offline spaces — third spaces where they can belong without being assessed, connect without agenda, and try without fear of judgment. Yet we rarely pause to ask: what role do such spaces play in helping young people thrive amid uncertainty? How might these spaces evolve to better support youth futures? Come and hear from our three youth facilitators, aged 14–16, who will offer lived insights into what young people need now, and what they hope to grow into next. Join us in co-inquiring and co-creating new visions for the future of youth third spaces. Because it is not something to predict, but something we build together.

Youth Facilitators: Maahi, Cyrus & Vedika Co-facilitators: April Michele "This interactive, youth-led session invites students to explore how asking significant questions can lead to more meaningful futures. Using Future Problem Solving tools, participants practice convergent thinking to identify powerful Underlying Problems connected to global issues aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Students then shift to divergent thinking, generating creative solution ideas that reflect youth perspectives and positive futures. Through collaborative activities and structured creativity tools, this session centers youth voices and provides tools for young people to meaningfully contribute to global conversations about the future."

Youth Facilitators: Rafaela Valencia-Dongo Co-facilitators: Erica Austin "What does ‘home’ mean in 2070? And how might we design futures that enable humans to thrive? By 2070, up to three billion people may live in places that are extremely difficult to inhabit. Through a series of seemingly small choices: where to live, when to move, what to adapt to, this interactive imagining session invites participants to explore how belonging, migration, and community may shape where and how we live in the future. Join two NGFP 2026 Fellows to weave individual narratives into a collective storyline, revealing how everyday decisions shape long-term futures and how hope emerges through collective choice."

Youth Facilitators: Rabia Memon Co-facilitators: Salman Khatani AI Futures for Social Good explores how ethical intelligence can guide tomorrow’s leaders to build humane, inclusive AI futures. Key questions include, What problems should AI tackle first, Who benefits or is harmed, What values must never be automated away, How do we govern uncertainty. We will do horizon scanning, scenario cards, and ethical dilemma sprints, then co-create an AI Social Good Charter. Intergenerational design mixes tables of students, mid-career professionals, and elders, pairing youth as co-facilitators and elders as lived-experience anchors. I will frame methods, guide synthesis, and moderate. Participants will critique assumptions, prototype safeguards, and publicly present commitments.

Youth Facilitators: Hazel Mulligan Co-facilitators: Jade Tang-Taylor We will be leading an imaginative, interactive workshop using the human layers meditation tool with a focus on food. The purpose of this workshop is to help us understand the different perspectives of people and their relationships to food - so that we can design better food futures that work for everyone. There will be reflection questions at the end of the meditation to help people think deeper about the future and its connections to the past and present. For example: What emotions are you feeling right now? Is there anything that felt lost or is there anything that was gained at any point? What was your biggest takeaway? We will encourage everyone to share thoughts or perspectives. Our session is called food across generations

Youth Facilitators: Belen Yaspana Co-facilitators: Maria Antonieta Angarita, Nancy Gutiérrez & Henry Venegas Se explora la importancia de la escucha como herramienta de transformación personal y social. Presentaré los cuatro niveles de escucha propuestos por el profesor Otto Scharmer en la Teoría U, que nos invitan a pasar de oír superficialmente a conectar con mayor profundidad y conciencia. A través de ejemplos y ejercicios reflexivos en vivo, los participantes podrán experimentar cómo suspender juicios abre la posibilidad de visualizar el futuro emergente y descubrir su misión de vida. Será un espacio dinámico, participativo e inspirador, diseñado para jóvenes que buscan liderar con propósito.

Youth Facilitators: Shirley Tian, Arushi Surve, & Eli Goodman Co-facilitators: Grace Okubo