Changing perceptions

We tackle misperceptions head on, bringing issues to the surface so that people, communities and governments talk about them.

This honesty is at the heart of our new name and brand, and so is our intention to change perceptions of what young people are capable of. We do not shy away from pointing out negative stereotypes where they exist, because we have to be honest in order to change perceptions.

We know there are a lot of negative perceptions of young people – helpless, dangerous, lazy, unprofessional, and the list goes on. 

We know this is neither an accurate nor fair representation of all young people.

We know what young people are capable of, and we use a couple of simple methods to make people look again – to challenge those stereotypes and see young people for what they are today – partners, leaders, educators, facilitators. 

First, our name gets the key issue out on the table for discussion. Restless can be positive. Restless can be negative. It’s the same with young people. If you don’t engage with young people, it can lead to negative outcomes. If you do engage young people, you get positive outcomes. We know how to engage young people, and that is why we are Restless Development.

Second, we use a little bit of angle when we depict young people. That is because we see young people from a different perspective, and we want to make you see them that way too. 

Third, we challenge the negative stereotypes and transform them into positive perceptions, by literally transforming the double words we use. We take negative concepts and transform them into positive ones on our website, on our business cards, on our t-shirts and posters. This makes people think and starts a conversation about the perceptions of young people.