3 out of every 4 young persons would like to get involved in third-sector undertakings, but want to be more confident and involved in NGOs

Jóvenes y ONG: Los retos de la colaboración entre las ONG y la juventud, (Young people and NGOs: the challenge of NGO collaboration with young people), a report by the Esade Institute for Social Innovation and the PwC Foundation, reveals an average confidence of young people in NGOs of 5.4/10, and main hurdles to be a lack of information, confidence and time.

Young people in Spain are well aware of major social and environmental issues but are not very connected to NGOs, according to the report Jóvenes y ONG: Los retos de la colaboración entre las ONG y la juventud (Young people and NGOs: the challenges of NGO collaboration with young people) by the Esade Institute of Social Innovation and the PwC Foundation, presented as part of the 17th Esade-PwC Social Leadership Program.

The report, based on interviews with third-sector professionals and a survey of Spanish youth aged 16 to 35 years old, shows that three out of every four young people (75%) would like to get involved in collective projects, rising to 90% when those who already collaborate with the third sector are included. Actual participation is, however, still low: only 41% have collaborated directly with NGOs directly through donations, or volunteering or youth movements, whilst another 41% say they have never been involved in social or environmental causes.

As Ignasi Carreras, director of the Esade-PwC Social Leadership Program, explained during the presentation of the report in Madrid, “Young people have solid values and a hugely transformative potential, so NGOs must rethink how they relate to them and open real spaces for co-creation and participation. The new generations want to be active participants in change, not just spectators, and third-sector organizations must learn to listen, innovate and work together with them.” “NGO collaboration with young people is an opportunity to renew social leadership, incorporate new digital skills and bolster confidence in the sector,” emphasized Ignasi Carreras. “What’s at stake is not merely the current state of NGOs, but their ability to inspire a generation that wants to change society,” he said.

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