Former The Lab QLD MD sets up youth insights agency
A new “strategic youth insights agency” developed to help companies and brands utilise solutions that are inherently connective with young people has officially launched, helmed by an ex-The Lab Insights & Strategy managing director.
Youngkind focuses on people aged between 10 and 18, engaging them with meaningful conversations to uncover the ideas and stories that define who they are, and transform those insights into actionable solutions for issues.
At the same time, the company leverages youth reporting, mental health, academic research and parenting experts’ insights to provide business leaders and governments with the knowledge they need to make relevant youth-related decisions.
The organisation makes international collaboration a standard operational practice, allowing it to apply other perspectives to the Australian youth ecosystem and influence youth culture insights.
Youngkind was founded by Amanda Windus – the former Queensland managing director for The Lab Insights & Strategy, a cultural insights company. She is joined by futures and innovations expert, Sarah Lorimer, and youth insights professional and managing director of qualitative youth and family research company, Nicki Karet, as UK-based team members.
Amanda Windus
Inspired by her children to open the agency, Windus said by-the-numbers approaches to insight gathering can “miss the mark” and generate less-than-insightful information.
“There’s a tendency to obsess over hard numbers, but miss the mark on real understanding,” Windus explained.
“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.”
The agency has embraced the solutions of today, familiarising itself with “industry innovations”, artificial intelligence and reworking traditional practices.
“We’ve been slow to engage young people in the decision-making that shapes their world,” added Windus.
“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.”
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Matthew is the editorial assistant at Mumbrella. He joined the company at the end of September 2023.
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