The youth of today are generally healthier, better educated, more urbanized, enjoy greater access to knowledge, and are more connected with the rest of the world than the preceding generations. A growing body of research attributes this marked improvement in the life situations of young people to socio-economic development and the ensuing prolonged transition to adulthood.1 Relative to their parents’ generation, the youth of today tend to stay in school longer, postpone their entry into the labour market, and delay marriage and childbearing with the expectation of having fewer children. However, this extended coming-of-age process presents new challenges, not only to youth themselves, but also to families and public institutions wanting to provide adequate support and resources for young people. Strengthening the skills and capacities of youth in their prolonged transition to adulthood is an important concern for policy makers because today’s youth are the future leaders and are key agents for economic growth, social change and technological innovation.