Despite a continuous barrage of bad press, today’s young people are socially engaged and getting ready to change the world for the better, argues Michael Lynas…
Each generation is defined by the cultural events and socio economic challenges it meets. Today’s teenagers face some very real ones: they are coming of age in the shadow of the financial crash and live in an ever-increasingly competitive world. At the tail end of Generation Y, teens today are at the cusp of a new generation, one that will one day shape the future of our country and our planet.
If you were to believe the headlines, the outlook would look distinctly gloomy. From the media debate it sometimes seems that our teens are at best feckless and at worst feral. But anyone who works with young people knows this to be a distorted and harmful view of the next generation. To highlight these false stereotypes National Citizen Service (NCS) recently partnered with the independent think-tank Demos on an in-depth piece of research carried out amongst 14 – 17 year olds. Some have referred to the next generation as ‘Generation C’ because they are the most ‘connected’ in history. Our research suggests that the Gen C title is also apt because the next generation could be the most active citizens we’ve seen in a generation.
The ‘Introducing Generation Citizen’ report uncovered the reality of a new generation of socially engaged young people. What the research showed is that while the stereotypes portrayed in the media are harming teens, the prevalence of social media in particular is helping to cultivate a stronger interest in social issues and social action. We also know they are behaving more responsibly when it comes to drink and drugs; caring more about social issues both at home and abroad and are more willing to get out and take action to make their world a better place. Programmes that encourage volunteering and social action, defined as ‘practical action in the service of others’, have multiple benefits for both the individual and wider society. Taking place in a non-school setting, social action can play a unique role in helping to create a more responsible, cohesive and engaged society by supporting schools to provide opportunities which can help their students get a better understanding of the communities that they live in.
As an example, on the final phase of the NCS programme young people work in supported teams to devise a project of their own choice to address a local issue they are passionate about. They then spend 30 hours putting that project into practice. Together they will experience the achievement of success through working together, but are also more likely to feel inspired to continue working with their local community once programme is over, and so help to create a habit of volunteering for life.
Popular examples include campaigning to raise the profile of selected issues in the local area, planning and managing community events and large scale sponsored activities. Many will also spend time with the elderly including teaching them basic digital skills to help them keep in contact with loved ones across the world and which in turn helps to promote intergenerational understanding. Significantly too, as well as having a tangible impact on their local community, students who participate in social action also develop those additional skills that we know employers are increasingly looking for. Indeed, 90% of teenagers who volunteer agree that the experience makes them feel better about themselves, care more about others, work better in a team and improve their self-confidence. Evidence from the report supports this view, with 88% of the teachers surveyed recognising that taking part in social action has helped their students build their leadership, teamwork and communication skills as well as develop qualities such as persistence, resilience and empathy. 80% of students also agreed that the opportunity had improved their future chances of employment. “If you want to see young people develop personal and social skills, empathise with others, see the world from a range of perspectives and ultimately acquire confidence and even leadership skills – give them the opportunities to get involved in doing something to help others,” says Heather McIlroy, executive headteacher at The Mountbatten School. “The appetite is certainly there and the act of doing something for other people – for no self-gain whatsoever – makes them happy. At Mountbatten, we have a strong, long-established culture volunteering, giving generously of one’s time, really getting stuck in to improving people’s lives. Because of the leadership and interpersonal skills, knowledge and dispositions these activities promote, our students are highly employable, well-rounded and grounded and ready to take up their roles as active, respectful contributors to society.”
It’s encouraging to me personally when I hear teachers and the young people involved in NCS consistently reporting a greater awareness and understanding through engagement with issues affecting their lives and the people around them. I passionately believe that this will stand them in good stead for the next stage of their journey through life. We also know that the vast majority of teachers (91% of those surveyed for this report) would welcome more support for their students to participate in social action and I would urge them to explore the wide range of opportunities that are available.
Informed opinion
Teachers feel that that the media depicts teenagers in a negative light with descriptions such as ‘lacking in respect’, ‘lazy’, and ‘anti-social’ featuring most prominently. Based on their own experiences of young people, however, teachers are most likely to view young people as ‘caring’, ‘enthusiastic’ and ‘hard-working.’
Connected citizens
As the first generation to have grown up with social media, the NCS/Demos research confirms the power of digital technologies in engaging teenagers in social action, giving them a platform to voice their opinions: n 87% of teenagers agree that social media provide an effective way to gain momentum behind social issues n 84% of teachers believe these new networks and forms of engagement are or can be just as effective as traditional forms of engagement (e.g. joining a political party) n 57% of teachers have noticed teenagers using social media as a tool to become involved in politics and good causes
