Currently the largest generation in the US (second to Gen X on a global scale), millennials—as well as those before and after them—face a unique set of challenges; but they seem to be not only determined but eager to deal with them.
According to the Case Foundation’s decade-long study of US millennials (which more than 150,000 of them took part in), individuals currently between 28 and 43 years of age are actively seeking ways to make the world a better place.
According to the CEO of the Case Foundation, Jean Case, “Millennials seek out possibilities across all aspects of their lives to have a positive impact on society and question norms that might pose barriers to implementing their ideas for social impact,” Inc reports.
The 10-year long study on millennials explored how they approach certain social issues and seek change and found 10 traits they have in common, starting with them being everyday changemakers; they tend to engage in (often spontaneous) good deeds on a daily basis, such as making donations or socially responsible investments.
Believing in activism and caring for social issues are second and third on the list of traits characteristic to the millennial group, as they actively take part in rallies, voting, and other forms of expressing their stance on all sorts of relevant matters.
The study also found that millennials seem to be passionate about issues more than institutions; while they tend to contribute to and support organizations advocating for certain deeds, the absolute majority say they would seize their contributions if said trust was lost.
Be that as it may, the extent of their philanthropic initiatives has been growing over the last several years. Studies found that between 2016 and 2022, millennial gift giving has seen an increase of 40%, likely making them one of the most generous generations out there.
The Case Foundation study also suggested that millennials tend to value collective effort and networks, but don’t bear as positive of an outlook towards their government, especially in regards to its ability to deal with poverty, race and culture-related issues, and student loans. Based on recent data, millennials arguably carry the 2nd highest student loan debt out of all the generations, preceded only by Gen X.
Other millennial characteristics analyzed in the Case Foundation study emphasized that they not only do good themselves but pay attention to who around them—be it a person or an organization—does, too; for example, they might pay attention to whether a certain brand is socially responsible or not and be influenced by their peers (not) doing something.
They also reportedly tend to believe that all action matters, no matter how big or small, and often look for innovative ways to initiate change.
One of the main issues millennials—as well as Gen Z—are reportedly quite passionate about is climate change and the well-being of our planet. The two generations seem to be in the lead in regards to addressing the matter on and offline and prioritizing the development of alternative energy sources, as well as putting restrictions on power plant carbon emissions and gas-powered cars and trucks.
Social issues are seemingly not the only aspects of life that millennials tend to address differently than their older and younger counterparts; their ways of approaching family life seem to differ quite significantly, too.
According to Pew Research Center, a millennial is less likely to have a family of their own at a certain age compared to a representative of a previous generation at the same stage in life. To put things into perspective, back in 2019, three-in-ten millennials lived with a spouse and child, while roughly four-in-ten of Gen Xers did at a comparable age.