Researcher and brand strategist Amanda Windus has launched Youngkind to give the next generation a voice in the boardroom and drive forward-thinking decisions, shaping a future built by and for them.
The strategic insights agency aims to tackle the fast-moving shifts and challenges facing young people today.
Windus, former managing director Queensland at The Lab Insights & Strategy, was inspired to launch the agency by her kids. Their view of the world led to a growing realisation—shared by many—that the old belief that adults know best no longer works.
The specialist strategic youth insights agency aims to empower brands and organisations with strategies to deliver bolder, more inclusive, and innovative solutions that young people feel are truly made for them.
Windus said: “There’s a tendency to obsess over hard numbers, but miss the mark on real understanding. Surveys can lead to forced opinions and overlook ‘the why’.
“We need to dig deeper to address the challenges and opportunities young people face today, which is why Youngkind was conceived. Rethinking how we connect, getting to the heart of matters. Not just identifying problems, but gaining the insight to solve them.”
By starting ongoing, deep conversations with 10–18-year-olds, Youngkind provides a nuanced view of their lives and how they’re both shaping and being shaped by Australia’s unique culture. This conversation is at the heart of what we do—engaging young people as the experts in their own lives and giving them a platform to share their stories and ideas, so we can navigate this unpredictable terrain together.
Youngkind is getting in sync with how digitally native generations engage, reimagining traditional methods and embracing AI and industry innovations. Windus leads with a fresh approach, focusing on deep, meaningful conversations that help us see beyond the numbers.
‘We’ve been slow to engage young people in the decision-making that shapes their world,” Windus said. “We’ve boxed them into labels and underestimated their power. With Gen Alpha set to become the largest generation in the history of the world, we can’t afford to be late to the game like we were with Gen Z.”
Youngkind builds on youth reporting from platforms like Vice Media, with a sharp focus on Australian youth and crucially tapping into insights from the realms of academic research, parenting experts, and mental health- democratising that knowledge to get it in the hands of government and corporate leaders, so they can make smarter, forward-thinking moves.
Youngkind’s team includes Sarah Lorimer, innovation and futures specialist and founder of Futurely, and Nicki Karet, a UK-based expert in youth insights and founder of Sherbert, who has built a rich library of intelligence tracking the lives of tweens, teens, and families, and has helped shape the MRS kids and youth research standards.
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Top image: Amanda Windus