Oliver, who is 13 years old, is called Ollie by most people. He spends a lot of his free time online playing games, talking to friends, and scrolling through TikTok. His parents have started talking about screen time because he is online almost all the time, unlike his younger brother. Ollie listens, nods, and tells them not to worry because he has things under control. 

Ollie is free when he's online. He jokes with friends, plays games, and shares memes there after school. He has even thought about starting his own streaming channel. But recently, he has started to notice something else. When he wins a game or gets a lot of likes, his mood goes up. When he doesn't get a response to a message or when influencers with seemingly perfect lives fill his feed, his mood goes down.

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Ollie is not disengaged.

He is being formed.

And Ollie is a better example of Generation Alpha than many might think.
 

Formed by technology, shaped through relationships

Gen Alpha is the first generation to grow up in a world that is completely digital and shaped by AI. Technology doesn't just affect them; it shapes them in a big way. Early on, algorithms learn what they like. Platforms give rewards for attention. AI is more and more in charge of what they see, play, and think is normal. 

Formation happens quietly and continuously, through gaming environments, social media feedback loops, and constant comparison. Young people are increasingly using emotional signals like likes, wins, and silence to figure out what is valuable, what is important, and what is successful. 

And yet, this is the main paradox: Gen Alpha is still deeply relational. 

Even though they spend a lot of time online, they don't want more content; they want to connect with others. They are very sensitive to presence, acceptance and emotional safety. They pay attention to who listens, who understands their world, and who is willing to explore it with curiosity instead of fear. 

Technology shapes how they think and feel.

Relationships shape who they become.

Why home still matters

In this setting, the home is an important place for forming relationships, not as a competitor to technology but as a place to connect with others. 

Parents don't need to be experts in AI or social media for Gen Alpha to be successful. What they need most are adults who are present, attentive, and emotionally available, willing to talk about what happens online, how it feels, and why it matters. 

A lot of Christian parents don't know how to do this well. They are raising kids in a world that is different from the one they grew up in because of new technologies. They want to pass on their faith and values in ways that feel real instead of forced. They know that formation starts early, but they don't always have the words, the confidence, or the support they need. 

This is where youth leaders play a strategic role.
 

Youth Leaders as translators and equippers

In an age of Artificial Intelligence and digital formation, youth leaders are no longer only programme organisers. They are becoming more like translators between worlds, helping parents understand how their kids are being shaped online and helping young people understand faith as something that is based on relationships and is relevant. 

Instead of taking the place of parents, youth leaders are in a unique position to help and support them by giving them information about digital culture, naming the emotional dynamics that come up in online life, and encouraging relational practices at home where questions of meaning, identity, and faith can be explored naturally. 

When parents feel supported instead of judged, and when churches help families with humility and understanding, formation is stronger where it counts: in everyday relationships. 

Grounded in Research

This article draws on OneHope’s global research into the formation of children and young people today, including its Generation Alpha research and Global Youth Culture (GYC) studies. Together, these explore how digital life, relationships, and early experiences shape long-term outcomes.

Further research and publications can be found at https://research.onehope.net

Related reflections can also be found in Dave Boden's upcoming book Raising Gen Alpha, which will come out in April 2026. The book looks at the cultural, technological, and relational forces that are shaping this generation.

A Moment to Steward

Ollie is not lost.

He is paying attention.

Generation Alpha is forming now, earlier and faster than ever before. Technology shapes their lives, but relationships still give them meaning.

The question for youth leaders is not whether to act, but how soon, how wisely, and how collaboratively we will do so, starting at home, supported by churches, and strengthened through partnership.

Jo Haaijer, European Director of OneHope, supporting churches and ministries across Europe to engage children and youth with God’s Word in meaningful and relevant ways.

Editorial note

Oliver (“Ollie”) is a composite persona based on aggregated findings from OneHope’s Generation Alpha research. Names and contextual details have been adapted to reflect a UK setting.