The Charity Fundraising Potential of Gen Z

With an upbringing dominated by a large dose of digital, the youth of today – otherwise known as ‘Gen Z’ are in unchartered territory. They’re the most ‘woke’ bunch yet, with unlimited access to the font of all knowledge that is Google and a fresh compassion and understanding for almost every cause and niche issue going. A vast array of social media platforms document every thought, relationship and moment of their lives. Communication spans every imaginable method from instant to global. So with such access to anything and everything at their fingertips, are this generation more equipped to help deal with the world’s problems? Are they more or less likely to engage with charity and volunteering? Will they respond to the global cry for help or focus on local level challenges? Or will the realities simply overwhelm them?

Who are Generation Z?

Generation Z are young people born between 1995 and 2015 and are basically aged between 7 and 26. They’ve been using technology from a very young age and have grown up with the internet as a normal backdrop to their everyday life.

Accessibility

Whilst our grandparents were lucky to know anyone outside of their village community (let alone their country!), this generation have access to a global platform. A typical Gen Z has the ability to instantly connect to hundreds and thousands of others.

These expansive networks aren’t contained by physical location, nationality, wealth or class. Community goes well beyond the school or college they belong to, which was life in the days of Boomers or Gen X.

Rather than visiting the local library for information and waiting for a book to be returned like their predecessors, Gen Z has known from day dot that a simple google search will provide thousands of results in seconds.

As a result, ‘self-taught’ reaches into every corner, leaving the playing field wide open with opportunity. No longer just for politicians, celebrities or royalty, our young people witness first hand how everyday people can create a tsunami of action.

So what has this instantaneous and limitless resource done for our young people? Could we be at the precipice of globalisation and unification with Gen Z at the helm?

Well maybe in our dreams.

But it’s fair to say that with this combination of access to almost any topic imaginable as well as a new awareness comes a sense of responsibility that might just propel us forwards. And who better than Gen Z - the first to be fully immersed in this new era.

Gen Z and trends

Trends are everything in the world of Gen Z. From simple silly apps or dance routines to entire social movements like #metoo or Black Lives Matter, the attention and focal points of Gen Z can be both fluid and flippant.

For the trends that take off, the impact is swift and en-mass. When Gen Z join hands, there is no limit to the power they possess which is surely great news for the third sector if they choose to do good.

Hitting the right note at the right time is essential for trends that go viral. Some ride off the back of current affairs, whilst others are completely original creations.

Enter the era of ‘influencers’.

Should one win favour among online peers and become an influencer, individuals hold enormous potency in the palm of their hands. But while online ‘fame’ can mean that complete strangers copy their outfits, share their opinions and take their advice, their notoriety rarely crosses over into the ‘real’ world, making online fame quite paradoxical.

Social media influencers can earn a genuinely good living, all the while maintaining a kind of dual citizenship between reality and the internet where their local anonymity remains fully intact.

Nevertheless, Gen Z are more than willing to ‘go viral’ for charities online.

A CAF 2019 study showed that 77% of 16-24 year old would be happy to shave their head, bungee jump or do something else extreme to help raise money for charitable causes - notably well above the average 49% national result.

Charities can take advantage of this culture by giving opportunities to influencers to showcase them. Even using ‘micro’ influencers to share new campaigns will reach small but dedicated Gen Z audiences. They may even put their own spin on it.

Other trends come from the expanded role of the celebrity.

Previously they tended to do what they were supposed to; make the film, sing the song, play the sport and pose for photos every now and again. These days it’s on trend for celebs to identify with causes and use their voice and influence to make change.

From footballer Marcus Rashford’s campaign to feed poverty stricken British kids during lockdown, to Lady Gaga’s tireless support of hundreds of charities, the most famous will often make strong impressions on Gen Z about how to behave.

And should a trend go viral, literally anything is possible. From medical advances to entire social uprising, systems can be made and broken and lives can be transformed.

How it works

While we scroll, the algorithms are constantly learning about and recording our preferences and responses - if you like posts about beauty – you’ll get streams and videos about makeup and hair. If you show interest in politics and current affairs – you’ll be shown news headlines all day every day. The purpose of this is to keep you glued to your screen for as long as possible.

Why?

Because the ultimate goal of search engines and social media platforms is sell space to companies who create targeted advertising. That means they get access to all the very same people who are interested in whatever they’re selling. If you’ve ever searched for a new torch when your old one broke, you’ll probably have noticed a sudden flurry of flashlight adverts popping up along the sides of your webpages.  

The bottom line is, the algorithms know - and if the algorithms know, the advertisers do too.

This method works for politics and current affairs too. Think back to the 2016 Brexit campaign who spent millions making sure their key straplines were shown in Facebook and Instagram newsfeeds across the UK to anyone they thought would be receptive.

Essentially, any time we show interest in campaigns, charity, or social movements by clicking like, commenting, sharing or even pausing to watch something, we’re unknowingly signing up to being shown more of that.

It takes concerted effort to disconnect from what those in charge decide we should be seeing.   

From the perspective of charities, to be able to capture the attention of a young person who might be a candidate for fundraising or volunteering is a tool to be used in itself. And this can be a major advantage too.

Why generation Z hold the key to a charitable future

Along with this tech savvy culture, young people have had access to a better education than ever before.

They’re taught things that older generations would simply not have been, such as how to run a successful event, how to be an entrepreneur, how to debate and how to negotiate.

Of course these skills can be used to serve themselves, but they can be flipped around for philanthropic action and to serve communities.

And not only do they know more and have access to more - they question everything.

Gen Z also enjoy free speech like never before. The days of children should be seen and not heard no longer applies. Gen Z are actively encouraged to talk about their feelings and to call inequality and injustice where they see it. And when they do want to use their voice they also have plenty of ways to do it.

Online petitions, social media groups, webinars and zoom events make learning and speaking your mind both convenient and easy. Finding like-minded people all over the country validates their thinking and creates a positive can-do culture.   

Rather than being social inept - as the boomers and Gen Z (1965 – 1976) often assume, this tech savvy younger generation have proved they can use their skills to create bigger, better communities.

There’s a clear willingness to connect and act upon resolving issues that matter to Gen Z, particularly ones that impact on themselves and others in their lives.

Just think of the million strikers of young people who’ve turn out for over 2200 Greta Thunberg’s School for Climate Strikes (also known as Fridays for Future).

Anything from menstrual cycles, climate change, identifying as a non-binary gender or mental health are all topics wide open for discussion. The British ‘stiff upper lip’ culture has shifted to a much more compassionate, reflective and expressive era.  

Read our blog on the power of storytelling in fundraising

And along with this new era of unyielding honesty is the desire to change things for the better.

As well as results of the YouGov study we can clearly see current cultural trends reflected in mainstream culture. From popular music about mental health to binge worthy television programmes that normalise previously taboo topics, it’s clear that times are changing.

Gen Z have got all the tools for pushing change, from energy, enthusiasm and optimism to knowledge accessibility and influence.

But despite all this, charities often perceive the younger generation has a hard group to reach.

What do young people think about the third sector now?

Throughout history, young people have always been considered the key for future solutions and global citizenship programs like The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) show that investing in them early secures interest and participation in community driven projects. In the YPI, teams of young people learn about issues within their community and choose a charity that addresses them. They research and share with peers through presentations and winners are given grants to support their chosen charity.

Not only is the scheme beneficial for the end user, it helps to tap into the potential of the young people, looks fabulous on a budding CV and build lifelong useable skills.

And these initiatives are clearly paying off.

While the overall trust in charities has declined by 48%, the CAF (Charities Aid Foundation) found that the Gen Z demographic find charities to be more trustworthy than any other generation.

Young people of today are officially more generous with their time and conscious efforts to try to help than other generations. Research by a YouGov poll, showed that 20% of teens and young adults aged 16 to 24 have volunteered in the last 12 months, compared to 16% of the whole population.

Over half signed online petitions, while the adults doing the same made up 49%.

Students make up the majority of young volunteers while young people largely support peaceful protests, believing it to be an effective tool for change. More than half of this age group think that marching ‘sometimes or often’ achieves its purpose.

A third of the overall public agree that Extinction Rebellion are right to ‘shut down London’ to support their cause, while a larger 45% group of 18-24 year olds think so too.

Of this same age group, just 36% of 18 to 24 year olds agree that charities should be banned from allowing face to face fundraisers to approach members of the public in the street, which is nearly half of the 70% of the overall population who feel that way.

So what can we draw from this data on Gen Z and charity?  

The optimism of youth certainly shines through with these examples, which not only disproves the theory that ‘the more we know the less we care’ but definitely seems to point to a cynicism in the older age bracket.

Young people do care and (if not now), with the right angle, charities can safely assume that direct action and monetary support will come later on.

Engaging Gen Z with Charitable fundraising

Tackled correctly, all the signs of engaging people young point to a life-long relationship with the voluntary sector, as well as significant financial rewards for charities gained along the way.

Everything begins with awareness.

Primary school children who are encouraged to get involved in litter picking or take part in a gardening project for their local school will undoubtedly grow up with an awareness in their surrounding environment.

Those who take part in charity runs or donate long hair to be made into wigs for kids who’ve been through hair loss in cancer treatments will know the humility and rewards of helping others.

Twinning schools up with those in the developing world is another great scheme that not only helps children less fortunate, but raises awareness about privilege and social responsibility.

Read our blog on 2022 trends in fundraising

But while charities have long spent years nurturing relationships in schools, much of the contact has been with teachers rather than students. By taking a youth-centered approach, charities could find they’ve motivated an entire generation to be involved in philanthropy and volunteering for life.

Simply asking Gen Z to throw money at issues to try to fix them is the antithesis of what they want. This isn’t about putting a sticky plaster over the top of our problems (and more to the point - this generation isn’t exactly rolling in it).

Rather, young people want to use their authentic power to make change.

The truth is, young people can be extremely passionate about issues they know about and can care about. It’s here that we see a willingness to offer support where needed.

Schemes like the YPI and Giving Nation show that engaging children in a giving culture without it being anything to do with money is the best start.

Young people should be encouraged to think about what they can do, rather than just throwing a handful of coins at a charity and forgetting about it.

Empowering Gen Z by allowing them to take control gets far more successful results.

Once engaged, it’s important to provide (digital) platforms for Gen Z to voice their concerns, share their ideas and options to get involved is the foundation for action.

When engaged with the idea that change is not only possible, but can be down to them and their action, we stand to see long term invested adults.

This is reflected by the 75 per cent of Giving Nation’s young participants who say they’d look to donate in the future. 

Another great example is the Citizenship Foundation’s ‘Giving Nation Initiative’. Before it’s closure in 2014, it set about trying to raise awareness of civil society and champion civil action among young people. The process always began with the perception and desire of young people themselves, rather than what adults thought they should do.

Over 14 years, the scheme successfully provided 80% of secondary schools with free packs that gave teachers lesson plans and activities for students to understand the purpose of charities, the work they did with governments and other sectors and which issues they addressed.

Ongoing, a new component was added which loaned small grants of £50 per class to create mini-projects that would improve problems in their communities.

For every £1 entrusted to a young person, they raised £5 in return and volunteered 4 hours of their own time.

The overall impact was impressive. Over a thousand school and ten thousand teachers were involved alongside over 350,000 young people. £1.7m was raised for causes and 1.6m volunteer hours were clocked up.

And while we provide young people with power to choose, it’s also vital to show them the fruits of their labour. Like with anyone, they want to see the impact of their involvement too. If they know that with every £10 they raise, they’re saving a life or changing something for the better, you’re triggering the pleasure and reward system.

Read our blog on how fundraisers can use the psychology of giving

So we know Gen Z are well worth the effort

So as we can see, investing in young people should be seen as a worthy use of time and effort. The financial return may take a little longer, but the commitment and value yields a much higher return overall.

And while we go through a transition away from intense capitalism and toward a more authentic grassroots culture, we can expect Gen Z to value materialism and money less and quality of life and sustainability more.

Are you interested in the charity sector and a career in professional fundraising?

Charity Link is looking for inspired, driven people of all ages to join our growing fundraiser team. We offer industry leading training as well as ongoing support and excellent incentives.