WhatIF? Podcast

Over the last 3 years these podcasts have been delving into a range of topics regarding intergenerational unfairness and we've provided a platform for dozens of people from all walks of life to have a voice. So for our season finale, it seems fitting to take us back to where we first started and talk to the people who started it all. 

We're facing a shortage of affordable houses, and historically high levels of rent. Yet, despite this- over two thirds of homes across the UK are under-occupied. How does that make sense? We have the supply of rooms, and we have the demand from young renters- what's the need for a crisis? What IF we brought back the lodgers?

University for young people today is expensive.  Current students will be paying off their loans for the next 30 years, and 2023-24 university starters will be paying off for 40 years. Most will never repay their debt. Instead they will be on a treadmill of interest payments for the majority of their working life. What IF we didn't have a cohort of struggling students? 

The UK needs to make significant efforts to decarbonise its transport network. How? Well – one way to do this is limiting UK-based aviation. Flying is the most environmentally harmful modes of transport. Alternatively, travel by train is seven times more environmentally friendly than flying.  What IF we took trains instead of planes?

The cost of living crisis means there's less money coming in, and more money going out. So where does this leave young people and savings? What IF saving money was possible for the young? In our first episode of Season 3, Alisa Anwar talks to IF researcher Alec Haglund, young people Rory, Cameron and John, and Curtis Banks to find out more... 

The Covid 19 era has increased the intergenerational divide within the UK. So now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to shape the post-Covid world. But what should this look like? What IF, the post-Covid world benefited the young? For our Season finale, Alisa Anwar is joined by young people and the co-founders of the Intergenerational Foundation to hear their thought. 

COVID-19 saw the government spend vast amounts of money – from the furlough scheme, test and trace programme to PPE and vaccines rollout. On top of this our nation went into lockdown, output stalled, and we saw a 9.7% drop in our GDP. Who should pay? Well, young people have being forced to shoulder the costs of social care reform and COVID-19 spending. That's not fair. 

Safe housing is a basic human right. This month we're looking at how the cladding crisis impacts the young. How did we get here? What's the solution? 

Climate change is the greatest intergenerational issue facing our young. 50% of the world's population are under 30, yet young people were not given a platform at COP to voice their opinions. So what do the young think?  On this month's podcast Alisa Anwar is joined by investment committee member and stewardship lead for The National Trust Alice Bordini-Staden, young activists Paddy, Martin, and Ishaan, and IF researcher John Hobby, to find out more...

And we're back for Season 2... Alisa Anwar returns to take you on a continued whistle-stop tour touching on everything we haven't so far....but you'll have to stay tuned to see what we have in store. First, we're kicking off this season with a special episode- it's special because this month is IF's 10 year anniversary! We are grateful to Curtis Banks (a self-invested pension specialist) for sponsoring the research undertaken in this episode.  

COVID-19 has seen the Government spend hundreds of billions of pounds in order to protect primarily the health of older generations. In fact by March 2021, the total amount spent passed £400 billion. That's the highest rate of government borrowing outside war time! In our final podcast episode we're going to take a look back at a year of intergenerational injustice due to the pandemic. I'll be taking you on a whistle-stop tour of key events since the first lockdown, discussing record breaking facts and figures, whilst also talking to young people and experts along the way. 

Alisa Anwar is joined by Professor of Politics at Royal Holloway University (James Sloan) and digital campaigner at the Intergenerational Foundation (Liam Hill) to understand why young people are so underrepresented in British politics. With only 3% of 18-30 year olds becoming MPs, do young people even want to be involved? We talked to three young political enthusiasts (Ollie Lewis, Aisha Sembhi, and Tom Clabon) to find out more.  So, what IF British politics experienced a ‘youthquake'?

Young people have been hit with the triple threat of COVID-19, the recession, and Brexit. Alisa Anwar is joined by Economist and the Head of Research for Europe and the Americas at Standard Chartered Bank (Sarah Hewin), IF researcher (Lizzie Simpson), graduates (Katherine Cenaj and Susannah Cook), and IF co-founder (Ashley Seager) to understand the growing employment crisis amongst young people. What IF youth unemployment wasn't so high?

Alisa Anwar is joined by Rent Strike coordinators (Meg Day and Charlie Keller), Bristol SU Student Living Officer (Ruth Day), students (Emily Cole and Kit Sinclair), and IF co-founder (Ashley Seager) to dissect the housing crisis among young people. With 46% of young people returning to live at home with their parents and housing prices soaring, what can be done? What IF we solved the housing crisis?

Alisa Anwar is joined by former MP and longstanding Minister, as well as the chair for the Children and Young People's Mental Health Coalition (Sir Norman Lamb), IF researcher (Melissa Bui), Trevor Elliott MBE, and students (Ella Cotton and Emily Price) to offer a solution to the growing mental health crisis amongst younger generations.  What IF the Government invested more in young people's mental health?

In this first episode from the Intergenerational Foundation, Alisa Anwar is joined by students (Rhiannon Woolford and James Main) and a Professor of Economics at Manchester Metropolitan University Business School (Dr Kevin Albertson) to dissect the complex world of university tuition fees and loans. How do students feel with the transition to online learning? Are they getting their money's worth? What was the government response to student uprisings and petitions? Is there a better alternative system? 

In this Pilot episode, Alisa Anwar is joined by the co-founders of the Intergenerational Foundation: Liz Emerson, Angus Hanton, and Ashley Seager, for a crash course on intergenerational fairness. What brought about intergenerational inequality? Why do young people feel frustrated and let down today?  What IF we listened to younger generations?