Highlight Difference to Create Engagement

It isn't easy to be different. But different might just be better. For GenZ and GenA - engagement is built in the organisations, groups and people that can show how they differ from the crowd.

Think about it; if every organisation were the same, there would be no reason for a young person to care, stay, or contribute. When young people are making decisions about their future career, why should they engage with you?

Difference can raise Awareness and Understanding - two of the four pillars of Authentic Engagement. But don't go thinking that difference for the sake of it is what you need. After all, differences can cause young people to disengage.

This month, I've packed three neat case studies of how others raise awareness and understanding amongst young people in school and businesses. By the end of this read, I hope you feel the creative freedom to test out a novel idea to engage the youth in your life.

Could a picture engage GenZ Talent?

Check out your favourite local businesses' early careers page. What you might fail to notice is something that irks GenZ. We are a cynical generation who can smell stock pictures from a mile away. For the organisations that put effort into their 'brand' - sweating the small stuff pays dividends.

Enter Barclays' Early Careers team - They did a photo shoot with their early talent. Not only does it signal to potential applicants that they sweat the small stuff, but you also get the ripple effect when posts like this hit LI:

Here's why it works

• The photos are actually great. Participants want to use them.
• The Barclays reference is subtle
• Even though stock is easier (and cheaper), you are signaling to potential talent that you sweat the small stuff

How can you show the young people you're trying to reach that you are sweating the small stuff?

Often, there isn't enough time at school to explore the wide range of future career options. It's hard to increase understanding about individual options through a channel that reaches many young people, like a lesson.

When Manda Graham at The Curiosity Museum told me about her approach centered around the idea that kids need space to discover skills and explore futures, I was immediately interested.

Manda and her team run workshops that enable each student to increase understanding towards careers that would be a good fit. It's the first time I've seen this achieved without requiring students on computers or psychometric testing.

Students love it, and I hear teachers say it's opening up meaningful conversations with students about careers. It's creating engagement!

Here's why it works:

• It starts with curiosity rather than an expectation that students participate.
• The breadth of STEM, Creative, etc. 'artefacts' engage a broad range of students
• The outcomes encourage "What next" thinking.

How can you reach young people that are "curious" and turn them into "interested"?

Along a similar theme;

Less than 1% of primary school kids' aspirations come from professionals doing a talk in school. Why is that?

We need to be braver in testing new hands-on and virtual approaches that get kids engaged. I've come to like Discover Creative Careers since they've got a bank of free virtual resources like videos and lessons, plus, industry connections for hands-on secondary school visits.

It feels similar to the projects that I've made with people like the Co-op by showcasing unfamiliar careers to kids who instinctively feel "creative" careers are too difficult or inaccessible. It's up to us to change that.

How are you making the unfamiliar visible to young people?

What else are you seeing doing a great job of increasing awareness and understanding in the careers sphere?

JR