Cracking the Gen Z Code: Insights for Nonprofits

Understanding youth and Gen Z isn’t complicated – all it takes is the willingness and openness to know where they are coming from and how that has shaped their behaviours and values as a generation.

Doesn’t the same go for every other generation? Absolutely. But for some reason, when it comes to Gen Z and Millennials, the understanding, compassion and openness to learn from them gets tossed out the window.

Me? A Zillennial? Shut up!

As a Zillennial (that strange gap between Gen Z and Millennials they still don’t know how to categorize), I am all too familiar with the labels both generations receive: “entitled,” “ungrateful,” “demanding,” “selfish,” and “self-involved.”

But has anyone taken a few moments to reflect on why younger generations are labelled these things?

Here’s what I’ve learned: Confronting the realities that younger generations have faced, especially at such a young age, is uncomfortable. No one wants to acknowledge the negative effects that exposure to major world events 24/7 can have on a child’s or teenager's brain. Instead, we simply label them with our assumptions and call it a day.

Shying away from these uncomfortable truths stops us from recognizing that the younger generation grew up in a very different context compared to those who were young 80, 50, or even 30 years ago. This lack of understanding stops us from empathizing, empowering, or even connecting with youth.

Non-profit organizations must realize that this mindset is doing more harm than good for their goals. Engaging with youth is THE key to the organization's growth and longevity.

How can non-profits begin to engage with youth? The first step is to understand who they are, what they believe, and, most importantly, why they hold those beliefs.

What does Generation Z value?

• Authenticity: If your organization is not genuine, Generation Z will not pay attention to you. They seek real, honest, and authentic connections.

• Transparency: They grew up in a world where, more often than not, what is said and what is true are not necessarily the same. When looking for causes to support or organizations to rally behind, they look for transparency.

• Empowered Leadership: It’s not enough to merely manage people; Youth want leaders who stand alongside them, empowering everyone around them. They value leaders who are truthful, honest, and not afraid to speak truth to power, regardless of the consequences.

• Empathy: While some criticize Gen Z for expressing discontent about situations that don’t personally affect them, all they are doing is empathizing. They care about causes beyond their own experiences, and they shouldn't be punished for it.

Times have changed, and for better or for worse, distancing yourselves from the younger generation isn’t the key to anything – it will be the very thing that divides us and enlarges the gap between youth and our communities.

Key Takeaway

Practical Tip Of The Week

If you or your team find yourselves making assumptions about youth or feeling that engaging with them might be too challenging, I encourage you to reflect on these three questions before proceeding:

• What aspects of Gen Z or youth in general do I not fully understand?

• Would I have appreciated, or did I appreciate, having assumptions made about me when I was younger?

• What do they want when engaging with our organization? Is it harmful or detrimental to our organization?

Take a moment to consider these questions and see if your assumptions still hold.

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Question For You!

This newsletter might have ruffled some feathers – apologies for that. But I hope it got you thinking about how we as a society, label and tend to view youth. We are quick to judge, and in the long run, that will only harm us rather than help our non-profits.

With that, I thank you once again for taking a few minutes to read The Youth Engagement Newsletter.

If you’re interested in learning more about youth engagement and how it can fit into your organization, don’t hesitate to contact me here.

And if you have any ideas or topics you’d like me to cover, reply to this email!

Have a great rest of your week!