A conference aimed at bridging the generational divide featured a teenager as a keynote speaker.

The Leaderfest conference, held on October 15, at Green Park Conference Centre in Reading, provided business leaders with the chance to understand how they can engage with younger generations.

The conference, hosted by MD2MD, had two Gen Z speakers, Cameron Trotter, 21, and Yazz Hansford, 17, taking to the stage.

The MD2MD community aims to help business leaders connect, grow, and thrive in a fast-changing world.

With the generational divide becoming more pronounced, particularly with Gen Z, MD2MD sees the importance of connecting business leaders with this next generation of workforce, customers, and future leaders.

The speakers are part of Participation People, a group of youth engagement experts.

They discussed Gen Z values such as authenticity and flexibility, offering the attendees direct insights into everything from purchasing decisions to employer credentials.

The session aimed to help businesses understand the nuances of what drives Gen Z's behaviours, enabling them to align their practices with the expectations of this generation and engage them meaningfully.

Cameron Trotter has several years of experience working with Participation People, delivering training sessions across the country to incorporate young voices in big business decisions.

Mr Trotter said: "Before, I was the shy kid that stood in the corner and never really spoke with anybody, and now I'm due to be standing in front of 140 people giving a speech about youth development.

"I love that working with Participation People gives me the opportunity to have my voice heard."

Yazz Hansford, who has been deaf since birth, has also taken part in many events as a young consultant at Participation People.

Her role involves facilitating workshops and keynotes, working with the Southern Universities Network and Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Ms Hansford said: "I myself have seen young people around me struggle to find jobs because workplaces don’t foster an environment that is suitable, so I’m incredibly excited to be attending LeaderFest to share my ideas for organisations to prioritise young people’s voices and needs, especially within the workforce."

The MD2MD community has empowered thousands of business leaders through group peer challenge sessions, curated expert speaker workshops, and online and in-person events.

They aim to help business leaders become better leaders and make informed decisions.

Participation People, on the other hand, are experts in youth participation, helping to give young people a voice and connect decision-makers with insights from young minds.