Blog

YouthTruth Report Emphasizes Gaps in Youth Civic Engagement

November 14, 2024  |  belongingness, civic empowerment project, civic engagement, environmental action, extracurricular activities, philanthropy, survey research, youth action, youth civic action, youthtruth
A young person stands with a paper at the front of a classroom

Young people are faced with a multitude of complex social and environmental problems that have profound effects on their communities. One important avenue for addressing these kinds of issues head on is civic engagement. A new report from YouthTruth, however, highlights the ways our educational system in the U.S. is failing to effectively invite new generations into civil society.

A group of young people pick up trash together

For example, surveys conducted during the 2023-2024 school year show that only 53% of U.S. high school students believe voting is important. While this data point may be an important indicator of how often our youngest voters choose to cast a ballot, it doesn’t mean that youth don’t care. Sixty eight percent of students surveyed reported that they believe helping others is important, but only 44% feel confident that they can make a difference in their school or community. Only 30% say they have taken positive action in their community. This underscores a gap between youth who want to create a better world and those who feel able to put that desire into action. Not surprisingly, these trends follow lines of privilege. Students whose parents hold advanced degrees have a higher sense of civic efficacy than their peers, and Black and Latinx students feel less equipped to take civic action than white students.

A teenager stands at the front of a crowd with a megaphone

Current educational models are likely part of the problem. Many schools emphasize learning what something (like a government system) is, a straightforward piece of information that can be regurgitated on a test, rather than the nuances of how to think critically about and engage with that system. Further, youth in the U.S. today are looking at a dysfunctional political system, deep socioeconomic inequities, and large-scale inaction on climate change. Feeling overwhelmed and unsure what to do are understandable responses to this landscape. It is critical, however, that new generations feel empowered to take action to promote sustainable and just communities. The stakes are too high to remain inactive in the face of environmental and social crises.

A soccer team huddles up in the middle of a field

While it’s important to take these issues seriously, it’s not all bad news. Many students who were part of the Civic Empowerment Project reported finding a strong sense of community in extracurricular activities. Classrooms seem to emphasize individual success, leaving students feeling like collective wellbeing is “not their job”, but sports, clubs, and other non-academic youth programming are based around teamwork, belongingness, and care for others. Unfortunately, opportunities to participate in meaningful extracurricular experiences are not available to all. Access is tied to economic and racial privilege.

Philanthropic organizations, like NRF, have a responsibility to address these disparities. More kids need access to spaces where they can feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves and explore what being part of a community means to them. NRF grantees are on the ground helping kids connect to nature, each other, and themselves. We’re grateful that they’re doing this important work to help kids be happy, healthy individuals and ensure that we have strong, sustainable communities for generations to come.