Millennial Civic Engagement: Give Them Time

In a recent meeting with the CEO of social partnership group in Dallas I was asked why my generation has so effectively evaded involvement in civic activities. He said, “I know its not that you don’t care. It almost seems like you care too much and don’t know where to direct your efforts.” The reality is that we do care, but our experiences have led us down a path of re-defined priorities. As a generation millennials are more likely to volunteer, proven by an increase in volunteer rates from 1990 through the 2000’s, but less likely to vote, participate in face-to-face civil society, belong to groups, attend religious services, and go to meetings. We have this overwhelming desire to help our fellow man but it has to be on our own terms and volunteering allows us to pick how we help and mitigate our lack of social skills. Our prolonged adolescence, struggle to communicate effectively in a multigenerational environment, and disenfranchisement with the current polarized political climate has steered us away from traditional civic participation.

Another major problem I’ve seen is that millennials don’t necessarily know how to get involved. As a generation slowly learning the value of developing a professional network this very well may no longer be an issue in five years. Currently, however, millennials lack the relationships with networks, people, and institutions that could not only veer them in the direction of their desired involvement but bring to light unknown passions and opportunities to contribute on a larger scale.

The big issue for this Dallas based social group is that it is fee based. Although the organization offers a multitude of benefits from an active role in the development of our city to new relationships with contacts that would otherwise seem impossible to make, millennials shy away from intermingling good will and money. And at a $5,000 annual membership fee they not only shy away, but run away. Dallas may be a burgeoning economy but the national numbers don’t lie. Millennals are stretching every penny as far as possible. Although generationally speaking credit card debt is low and their personal saving patterns are better than Gen-X, student loans paired with a tough employment market for twenty something’s and low entry-level wages has pushed our ability to grow our personal wealth back a few years. This in turn makes them reluctant to dedicate funds to new ventures and opportunities.

My advice to him was to be patient with us. As a generation categorized by a prolonged adolescence or an emerging adult hood it makes sense that our interest in civic engagement is a bit delayed. Why should you show us patience? Because our potential is unimaginable. Do you know why everyone is after our generation? It’s not because we are next in line, it’s because we are worth it. It isn’t what we know that makes us valuable, it’s how we think. When millennials do decide to become involved don’t expect this manifestation to resemble the contributions of past generations. As is the overwhelming personality trend with all millennials we like to do things our own way.