Young Divided and Under Pressure with Clover Hogan and Ravi Naidoo

For years, we’ve comforted ourselves with the idea that young people will “save the world.” But is that hope realistic - or an unfair projection? Many young people care deeply about climate, justice and inequality, yet face economic precarity, political disillusionment and shrinking civic space. How can youth today find real agency and meaningful work amid systemic barriers and concentrated power?

Hosts Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn are joined by:
• Clover Hogan — climate activist and founder of Force of Nature, helping young people turn climate anxiety into action
• Ravi Naidoo — CEO of the Youth Employment Service (YES) in South Africa, the world’s largest private-sector-funded youth internship programme

Together, they explore what leadership looks like for a new generation, the myths and realities of youth activism, and how today’s leaders can support young people not just to inherit the future, but to shape it.
In partnership with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and Investec.

Key Takeaways
• Hope must be active, not passive. Despair is understandable, but the antidote is engagement — from corporate boardrooms to community-led movements.
• Youth agency is the moral and strategic frontier. Today’s young activists are organised, strategic, and redefining influence through creativity and digital power.
• Narratives shape reality. Media framing can legitimise or delegitimise social movements — understanding and challenging this is essential.
• An intergenerational economy is possible. Embedding the rights of future generations into law and governance can drive justice, sustainability, and longevity.

Key Quotes
“Sustainable leadership means making space for young people not just to be heard, but to lead — to shape the decisions that define their own future.” — Clover Hogan

“We need to replace the shareholder value model with an intergenerational value model — an empty chair in the boardroom for the people not yet born.” — Ravi Naidoo

Credits
Presented by:
• Lindsay Hooper, Chief Executive, CISL
• Marc Kahn, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Investec
Produced by: Carl Homer (Cambridge TV) & Alexa Sellwood
Executive Producer: Gillian Secrett
In partnership with: Investec

Disclaimer:
The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t necessarily represent those of CISL, the University of Cambridge, or Investec, and should not be taken as advice or a recommendation.