Young people have a lot to give – they may just not know how.  

With a climate crisis, housing crisis and many other looming crises – young people want to make a difference to make sure our worlds aren’t turned upside down. We want to find ways to give that align with our values and means. This does not necessarily have to be with money. In fact, what this blog recognises is a broader conception of giving: with three methods that a generation of under 35s may adopt if they wish to become known as “Generation Give”.

1.     Give money

Let’s start with the obvious. One option is regular, financial giving. If you’re a young person who has entered the workforce, you may wish to give a small amount of your income to charitable causes.

One platform that enables this form of smaller giving is One Percent Collective. Over 670 Kiwis are making an impact by giving just 1% of their income through One Percent Collective – selecting who to give to from their 14 partner charities. Over $2 million has been raised through One Percent Collective for causes ranging from supporting children with downs syndrome, to sustainable coastlines to food education.

Another option for those starting on their giving journey is to get involved in a youth-focussed crowd funding organization like 10×10 Philanthropy which has now come to Auckland. 10×10 Philanthropy is a live crowdfunding charity, comprised of groups of 10 young professionals, who raise funds for innovative grassroots charities by hosting 100+ guests at inspiring events.

Impact investing is another area that young people are interested in. These are investments made with the intention of generating social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. One study found that Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are twice as likely as the overall investor population to pursue impact investing. Of the generation below (Generation Z – those born between 1996 and 2010), that same study found that 94% believe that companies should help address social and environmental issues. One company that has written about ethical investment is Sharesies.

2.    Give guidance

Another option for Generation Givers is to give guidance – to family members who may have had more luck in the financial department. The world’s wealthiest people will transfer U.S. $15.4 trillion in assets to their children in the next decade. In New Zealand, this wealth transfer will be particularly evident in the transfer of houses from home-owning boomers to their heirs. If a taxing inheritance policy doesn’t kick-in, then recipients may wish to consider their options. One, take the money and run. Two, think about passing on some of your inheritance to your community.

If you are in a situation of a potential inheritance and you wish to divert it to areas of need, you may wish to get involved in your family’s philanthropic plans, or at least start having a conversation. What are the different priorities on the family’s fortunes? Who will manage those fortunes? The Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors “Next Gen Philanthropy” Roadmap is a helpful guide to ponder these questions.

Philanthropic planning can have a number of benefits – bringing family together and increasing cohesion to make a difference in the world. At The Gift Trust, part of our service is to offer strategic advice to make the most impact in the areas you (or your family) care most about. Our strategic philanthropy sessions can help different generations of a family to come together and discuss shared values and what they’d like to support.

For the past two years, I’ve been personally working alongside my parents to set up a small philanthropic platform – Puffin Trust. They donate around $40K a year to charitable causes, ranging from tackling child poverty (The Nest Collective), to getting people with disabilities into work (Kilmarnock), to environmental education (Garden to Table). I’ve found it rewarding advising on the wide-ranging causes out there that are worthy of immediate support – and diverting some of our privilege to these causes.

3.    Give time

It’s important to realise that giving money or guidance is likely to be out of reach for many young people. They may be trying to secure a job or pay the rent – it’s not easy.

So, another way to be involved in the community sector and giving is to apply for a non-profit board role. Getting young people (35 and under) on non-profit boards is an aim of the Social Change Collective.

The average age of directors in NZ is 60. Having young people at the Board table is important for many reasons, such as:

• Ensuring generational and long-term outcomes are kept front and centre;

• Often offering an optimistic and less risk averse perspective; and

• Providing a creative and unique skill-set to the younger generation, including digital awareness and social media.

You can be notified about Board positions and upcoming Social Change Collective Youth Governance workshops here.

At the high school level, Youth Philanthropy NZ, appoints students to a simulated non-profit board and over the course of 20 weeks, they are guided through essential skills in philanthropy. They are then involved in grant decision-making processes to worthy charitable causes. A similar programme called YPI exists in Canada, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Our Government could consider supporting Youth Philanthropy NZ to encourage an ethos of giving in our younger generation.

A “philanthropist” tends to draw up a certain image in someone’s mind and that isn’t necessarily a young person. Yet, there are many options for young people to connect with giving – whether that be through money, guidance or time. With the many examples of young people already taking action, hopefully it will become clear that we’re not a generation of avocado on toast eaters, but a generation of givers.