If you haven’t noticed, The Case Foundation does good work. They undertake research and promote programs that cover civic engagement, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. A solid mix of what makes the world work in better ways. Cutting across these areas is a focus on the next generation – Millennials. In working with Achieve, a survey of Millennials is conducted and published as The Millennial Impact Report, done since 2011.
The 2016 edition of The Millennial Impact Report begins with Wave 1 Trends is available and was released during MCON, the Millennial engagement conference. You can register and download a copy of the report. Understanding and working with the next generation of leaders is one of the most important activities leaders can do. All practical and engaging insights help.
Millennial Impact: Direction and Attitudes
In reading through the report, several statistics popped. My objective is to highlight the elements I found interesting and then outline some suggestions to consider.
Key Issues for Millennials
For Millennials, the top three social issues from the survey are:
- Education (29%)
- Health care (25%)
- Economy (24%)
These are bread-and-butter issues. With education costs soaring, along with the student loan debt, and the importance of good health care and a robust economy, these are the elements that deliver a foundation for any citizen. A solid foundation fosters a productive and meaningful life.
Being an Activist
An added element covers how Millennials identify with being an activist. They were asked to rate, on a scale of 0 to 100 percent, how much they agree with the statement: “I am an activist (a person who behaves intentionally to bring about political or social change).” The results:
- Average response was just over neutral (54%)
- Median response was 60 percent (somewhat believe they are activists)
Millennials lean toward wanting to bring political or social change. Some may think this is a liberal thing, yet the individuals surveyed showed a balance – 50% identifying as conservative, 43% liberal, and 7% neutral or other. Today’s political and economic environment seems to show we are stuck in not doing much or reversing to outdated policies. We need to engage the Millennial mindset and believe, like they do, that people like them can have an impact in the U.S. to make it a better place to live (90% of Millennials surveyed).
The Trust Gap
We have the trust gap. More than half of Millennials trust the government only a little or not at all to do what is right. An unfortunate, but understandable, attitude. Interestingly, as Millennials age, trust in government grows. In the “trust them a lot” category, the statistics grow as the age category increases:
- 18-24: 9%
- 25-30: 18%
- 31-36: 25%
Millennials Are Acting
Millennials are not sitting on the sidelines. In May, 76% of Millennials indicated that they plan to vote in the upcoming election. A healthy majority yet it has declined from the previous two months. Today’s campaigns have a way of discouraging people. As important element is the practical work Millennials do. To affect social issues, Millennials are acting:
- 46% volunteered
- 52% donated
Encouraging greater volunteerism is a must, especially since Millennials are the future leaders for many of the social good and social cause organizations. Organizations, like Social Venture Partners Dallas, need to activate the next generation of social venture leaders.
Review the infographic below for added insights from The Millennial Impact Report. An added note of gratitude to Achieve and The Case Foundation for their work and insights.
Millennial Impact: Activating Steps
We are at a perplexing crossroad. The current U.S. political campaign highlights disturbing divisiveness, and the recent Brexit vote drives another wedge between young and old and a European union. What gets damaged in this process is the future.
What changes?
First, we need to encourage and set an example of leading and building toward a better future.
Stalemate is not progress. Preventing votes on laws and programs that build a better future needs to stop. We need to encourage civil, productive debate and then vote. Our political leaders need to set a better example.
Self-centered, short-term actions do not produce long-term value. Building profitable businesses is possible when combined with a focus on a bigger purpose and a respectful organizational culture. Our business leaders need to set a better example.
We need to use our power of example to create a better future state of possibility and outcome.
Second, we all need to vote for a better future.
The intention to vote is important. The actual vote is critical. The mindset of the voter needs to incorporate who and what will create a better future. To get to a better future, we need the right mix of people and actions to move things forward in the next year, five years, and ten years. A cross-generational focus eliminates barriers and creates a flow of better ideas, people, and actions.
We need a progressive mindset as we vote.
Third, we need to restore trust in our government.
To restore trust, it takes a community. The community includes citizens who are business leaders, non-profit leaders, political leaders, and all who lead from where they are. We need to take a deep breath and take a step up in our responsibility. We need to act in ways that make our grandkids and great grandkids proud. We need to take actions that create a better future story.
We need to act with forethought, transparency, and integrity. Trust restores when we act in ways that create a future in which we can smile with pride.
Fourth, we need to be activists.
To bring generations together, we need to behave “intentionally to bring about political or social change.” It begins with positive behavior and good intentions. Change happens, and we have a choice. We can do everything to try to prevent change and then fail to adapt in productive ways. Or, we can understand the trends of change and guide it in ways that create a better outcome for as many people and stakeholders as possible. We need to choose to guide change rather than stunt it.
Millennials have a great responsibility, just as all generations do.
Millennials will have an impact. As they fill more corporate, charitable, and government leadership positions, they need to do so with grace, future-oriented intentions, and inclusive, productive actions. What The Millennial Impact Report highlights is encouraging and refreshing.
We have a long-haul ahead. For older generations, we need to lower barriers and eliminate fixed mindsets. For younger generations, we need to do the same and lead forward with the lessons of the past. After all, we always need to remember that we are in this together.
Thanks for your insights Jon.
As for getting more involved, I believe that the challenge for some of us is the lack of personal relationships we have with public officials in general. For example, you aren’t running for office (yet), however, over the span of several years, I have learned to trust you as someone who genuinely cares about the subject matter that you write about. We’ve never met in person, so I still can’t say I really know you, yet I know you better than people running for office in every sector.
So that’s where I’m coming from. I can’t personally place my faith in those I don’t have a relationship with. However, I CAN place faith in and work with those that I do. And those that I do have any sort of relationship may be those that have real connections to those other sectors.
And I must have at least a little faith Jon…after all…I DO comment fairly regularly on your blog! (grins)
Interesting post Jon.
Coming out of a quarter where I had ‘scientific research’ driven in to my noggin for every assignment for Nutrition, it naturally made me more curious about the statistics in the millennial report. I clicked on some of the links in the first paragraph yet I couldn’t find anything that sheds light on HOW they go about collecting their data. Is this a careful cross section of a specific demographic? Are these all taken from college campuses? Or is this particular group surveyed predominantly from a collection of people that attend these similar events? i.e MCON.
I ask these questions not to challenge you, Jon. I trust your intentions as a writer, etc. However, it occurred to me after what I’ve just been through that had I read something like this BEFORE my Nutrition course, I probably would have trusted statistical data …without question. Now I’m naturally more curious about where we come up with our statistics.
Among the statistics mentioned, healthcare is a huge one in my personal world and has had the biggest impact on my life since my husband died. I’m still not sure I understand the intentions behind Obama Care. I only know that the program only forced those in the lower financial classes to fork out money that they already don’t have to pay huge monthly fees just to HAVE health insurance…and it still doesn’t cover the high deductables and copayment fees for every office visit, test, hospital stay and every other little thing on top of it. People were forced to pay for something that still doesn’t meet their needs. It didn’t meet my needs either. Fortunately I found out last year that I actually DID qualify for veterans benefits for medical and vision. I’m not a disabled vet so I do not qualify for dental. That has been the biggest expense in my life for the past 3 to 4 years.
As for healthcare, I don’t have the answers. I only know that as long as pharmaceutical and insurance companies are allowed to profit off of our sickness and disease, things will continue as they are. I’m willing to explore other models of healthcare such as Canada and other parts of the world. HOWEVER….I do not have enough information to understand how that would impact the nation economically… or in terms of quality care. I’d still be willing to at least try it. I’d rather divert some of our national spending to healthcare and education than to continue to fund ongoing war. Save that for when it’s absolutely necessary….not to simply act as the world police. We can’t afford it.
As already mentioned in previous posts, I wholeheartedly agree on being an example. It’s critical.
As for votes….this is another area that I believe the majority of us need more education on what is REALLY happening when we vote. I was taught one thing in school. Yet as an adult, I’ve learned about other controversial information about the electoral vote making the public vote powerless…if that’s true. Than we don’t really live in a democracy..we will under the illusion of a democracy. So either our votes really COUNT or they don’t. Where can we find out the FACTS about this??
As it stands now, I don’t believe I can encourage my children to put faith back into the government until we have faithful people running it. Otherwise, it’s insanity to force people to trust those who prove over and over again they can’t be trusted. So do you, personally, have more insights on what you mean by putting faith back in the government? How do we do that as long as unfaithful people and those who are dramatically devoid of integrity…. remain in office?
This comment isn’t so much meant to be challenging as it is meant to be an honest sharing of questions and concerns that I personally have as a 47 year old widow with children. One grown and one facing her last year in high school.
In order to set the best example for my own children, I also need to be better equipped with the facts of what is really going on with our government and system. I strongly feel we need to ask more questions, even when it comes to the information we find on the internet.
Thanks for another great post that I hope sparks some deep and thoughtful discussion between generations. It’s the best place to start.
Thank you for your perspectives, Samantha. The research is well-done. If you complete the form and download The Millennial Impact Report, they discuss upfront their methodology and the breakdown of those surveyed. Between Achieve and The Case Foundation, the report integrity is top-notch.
Whether voting or healthcare, the key is for people to get more involved. I believe there are leaders trying to solve problems. When citizen get behind them in their work or in their elections, we can facilitate the positive change we need. Kicking the can down the road or kicking the older or younger generations does no one any good.
My have strong faith that we will see these shifts with Millennials. My strong hope is the older generations will be more open, eliminate gaps, and work together across the ages to collaborate on better solutions.
Thanks,
Jon