If there is a moderate to high likelihood that the average citizen can’t afford rent and have a voice in government (ie. protesting 2 days a week, because their vote doesn’t effect policy) they live in neither a free society, nor a democracy.

In other words a free society, needs enough people to have high enough income, to have a good bit of free time and enough wealth or a strong safety so they do not have to rely on a job. Which is why homeownership is a good thing, coops and other forms of small scale ownership of capital is needed and social safety nets help the entire society. The further away those safety nets are from the government the better, as it is easy to withdraw otherwise, which is why real world "communism" was not democratic.

One of the reasons children have been able to lead the protests is because they have a safety net.

Unfortunatly that is also the reason they can not transform society, as the safety net of children is fragile. It only takes the parents to disagree with them.