ABSTRACT
Leaders of the many global development agendas have long recognised the power and capacities of young people to lead positive social transformations. Although the authors have witnessed a quantitative increase in youth engagement opportunities, these rarely provide access to decision-making power. Although this is a barrier, it also presents a unique opportunity to enact a more thoughtful and intergenerational co-leadership with young people to transform these promises into reality. They continue to access free or poorly paid labour in the name of 'exposure' and create more cohorts of young people battling burnout when our skills, energy and creativity can otherwise be supported to accelerate progress towards development efforts. It is empowering to see more young people holding spaces at key global policy and advocacy platforms with loud demands and bright recommendations. A word of caution against celebrating the mere presence of young people as progress, as it can overshadow the urgent issues.
