January 2026
September marked the completion of the six-part "Changing People" series—25,334 words exploring why professional attempts to change people fail, grounded in evolutionary biology and neuroscience. October brought strategic clarity: postponing planned courses to focus on content creation, launching the Check-in Cards collection and Young Thinking section. December delivered "The Journey"—a 6,281-word reflection documenting YoungFamilyLife's first year, including transparent discussion of AI collaboration methodology.
Now January brings something different: expansion, accessibility, and systematic platform development.
The platform now includes two distinct content streams. Academic essays continue providing depth for professionals and students—the kind of thorough exploration that takes 20-40 minutes to read. But not everyone needs or wants that level of detail.
HWTK (Hey!, Want To Know) transforms complex research into accessible 10-minute reads using genuinely plain language. Each piece passes the "street-shout test"—compelling enough that someone would stop mid-street to learn the answer. Topics include how ant colonies solve problems the same way brain cells do, why bodies tell the truth when words lie, what Mehrabian's famous 7-38-55 communication rule actually measured, and how oak trees coordinate leaf drop without any central control.
Five HWTK essays now available: Ants and brains working similarly, body language revealing truth, continuous nonverbal communication, Eric Berne's 1950s discoveries, and oak tree hormonal coordination. Accessible content maintaining YFL's evidence-based standards whilst reaching broader audiences.
Behind the visible content, January brought systematic infrastructure improvements. Platform 2.x migration establishing 13-14 technical standards. Comprehensive inventory systems tracking all content. Factory prompts enabling consistent content production. The kind of foundational work that makes sustainable growth possible rather than heroic individual effort.
Mobile responsiveness improved across all pages. Navigation streamlined with HWTK content stream integrated. Essay categorisation refined to serve different audiences—professionals, parents, curious minds, interested citizens—each finding relevant content through multiple pathways.
February through August: strategic pivot towards HWTK and bitesized accessible content, including community matters. Academic essays will continue but less frequently. Both streams have no shortage of subjects, issues, and areas of interest—plenty of ways to explore them. Building the platform's breadth and accessibility before any course delivery.
Mid-Summer 2026: Workshop, tentatively pencilled in when timing and content alignment support it.
September 2026: Foundation Years Course, when the platform has established audience confidence and credibility in YFL approach and content through sustained quality information without instruction.
The strategic evolution continues: building foundations properly, reaching broader audiences, maintaining quality across both academic depth and accessible engagement.
Any essay on the platform is ready to deliver as a workshop or in-person presentation for education and training purposes. If there's content that would benefit your team, organisation, or group, get in touch to discuss arrangements.
YoungFamilyLife presents evidence-based insights as springboards for your own thinking, not prescriptive solutions. We assume you're intelligent, capable of critical analysis, and the best judge of your own context. Our role is providing quality research and thoughtful exploration—your role is deciding what's relevant to your situation.
Visit youngfamilylife.com to explore the full Repositorium, discover HWTK content, read academic essays, and engage with evidence-based content that respects your intelligence.
Browse previous platform updates
September 2025 - Changing People series completion
October 2025 - Strategic evolution and Check-in Cards launch
December 2025 - The Journey: First year reflection
January 2026 - Current Update
Steve Young, YoungFamilyLife Ltd
20+ years translating family services experience into accessible insights
© 2026 Steve Young and YoungFamilyLife Ltd. All rights reserved.
All content on the YoungFamilyLife website, including essays, articles, guides, course materials, graphics, logos, and all other intellectual property, is protected by copyright law. This includes original professional insights, research syntheses, case studies, and educational content developed through Steve Young's expertise and experience.
No part of this website or its content may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise used in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the copyright holders, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
For permission requests, contact: info@youngfamilylife.com