Trending Topic Idea Generator

A tool that helps youth-led campaigns connect trending topics on social media with their own priority topics to create relevant content.

The scenario

Once upon a time youth-led CSO staff would spend their days deeply engaged in their cause, from organizing protests to researching policy.

Every day they would scroll through their social media feeds and see their friends sharing memes and lighthearted entertainment. This created a painful feeling of disconnect, as they struggled with how to talk about the serious issues they cared about without sounding preachy or alienating the peers they wanted to connect with.

 

What's expected of my proposal?

Check the Scenario Starter Kit or the Applicant’s Guide for more information.

One day… (what will you do to address the problems and challenges being faced?)

Because of that… (what changes will your solution bring?)

Until finally… youth-led campaigns had a reliable stream of creative ideas for connecting their serious issues to what was trending. This allowed them to consistently produce relevant content that their peers found genuinely entertaining and sharable. Activism started to feel less like a lecture and more like a clever and unmissable part of online culture, drawing in a new audience that had previously felt alienated from social causes.

Keywords

youth activism trending content meme culture creative campaigning civic engagement youth-led communication issue reframing

Scenario starter kit

Recommendations for your design process

  • Identify key social media trends relevant to youth in your country.
  • Create a content brainstorming pipeline linked to current events.
  • Blend humor or pop culture references with civic issues.
  • Involve youth peers in co-creation to ensure authenticity.

Solution users and audience

  • Youth-led CSOs
  • Grassroots activist collectives
  • Young content creators interested in social change
  • General youth social media audiences

Advice

  • Avoid tokenism — make sure the connection to trends is genuine.
  • Use platform-native tools to increase reach (e.g., TikTok’s sounds, Instagram Stories).
  • Keep the balance between fun and purpose.

Glossary

  • Trending topic: A theme, hashtag, or content style currently popular online.
  • Issue reframing: Presenting an issue in a new way to make it relevant to a different audience.

Submit your proposal for this scenario

Submit

Share this scenario

Like this scenario? Share it with your network!