This article is the second in a series exploring best practices in youth philanthropy. Read the first.
No more tokenism
Youth philanthropy is sometimes criticized for being tokenistic; that is, when organizations do include youth in their mission, the responsibilities they deal out can be arbitrary, lacking real opportunity for youth to make an impact. By extension, it also fails to inspire philanthropic values in youth – after all, why should they care if they aren’t really involved? While by no means indicative of the field, it’s an important criticism to consider when, for example, inspiring teenage volunteers, engaging the next generation of your family’s foundation, or including more youth voices in your work.
One of the best practices we’ve developed at the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) is in giving young people clear guidelines for the project, and then respecting their decisions on the social issues they research, the organizations they connect with, and the funds they direct to social services in the form of $5,000 grants.
At its core, our mission hinges on trusting young people with genuine responsibility in making a difference, and through that, to inspire generosity and compassion in them. Our process is effective, but it’s just one of many that can work.
The timing is right
Young people are at a pivotal stage in development, where their search for identity intersects with career exploration, skills development, and the formation of moral values. They’re questioning who they want to become and what role they will play in the world. At this crossroads, learning that selfless effort can be rewarding has great potential to “stick” for life. And while guidance is needed, it’s important that adults also recognize them as leaders and agents of social change in order in order for youth to develop in these roles.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have found that youth are motivated toward community engagement for different reasons, but share common barriers in taking initiative – namely, they don’t believe they have the skills, opportunities, or power to effect change. Adults can help remove these barriers by mentoring youth, showing them the tools they need, and then trusting them to try things on their own.
YPI has seen that youth engagement depends less on the end result of young people’s attempts, and more on the depth of the connection they make to social issues and the people that are impacted by them. In other words, making mistakes or falling short of goals does not turn youth off of philanthropic efforts.
Keeping it real
As a non-profit organization, allowing for youth-driven decision making is a great way to motivate voluntarism in younger generations. Are you leaving room for youth to choose what they will learn and do while working with you? Do they have a platform to share ideas within your organization? Can they collaborate in the development of goals and messaging? These are the kind of real-world opportunities that youth will be excited to commit their time and energy to, and ones which inspire and passion and dedication in the long-term.
Consider these tips when engaging future donors, volunteers, and leaders in your mission:
Whatever approach your organization takes, giving youth the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to what you do is an important step in transforming the outlook of future generations on charity work and the non-profit sector.
Rachel Paris is a work placement student at the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative, and is enrolled in the Social Service Worker program at George Brown College. She has also coached youth in sports, leadership, and community-based volunteerism. You can contact her at rachel@goypi.org.
