Listen...To Each Other: Young Life's RELATE Project
Sometimes the best way to understand young people is pretty simple: ask them and actually listen to what they say. 💬👂🏽✨ The RELATE Project from Young Life does exactly that. Its 2026 study listened to more than 7,000 teens and young adults ages 13–24 across 11 countries, exploring belonging, relationships, faith, identity, mental health, trust, and even the growing role of AI in young people’s lives. 🌎📱💛
And young people are telling us that being heard matters. 🫶🏽 Confidentiality was the No. 1 factor they identified for building trust, while 4 in 10 said they still aren’t confident they have an adult who really listens to them. At the same time, face-to-face connection is becoming more desirable even as close relationships are shrinking and AI companionship is growing. 👥🤖➡️🤝
RELATE doesn’t stop at the numbers, either. Its resources include young people’s own words alongside discussion starters and practical tools designed to help adults listen without judgment, ask better questions, build trust, and show up with genuine curiosity. 🎧💬🌱 It’s a good reminder for anyone working with the next generation: before deciding what young people need, make room to hear what they’re already telling us. 💛✨
