The Millennial Nonprofit--PATCH in Madison, Wisconsin
It’s not just a silly meme; there are plenty of good reasons to be talking about Millennials. Do a Google search and you’ll come across hundreds of articles about understanding this young generation’s point of view, and there are some particular keywords that frequently come up: collaboration, purpose, and impact.
This great report from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School emphasizes the Millennial’s need for collaboration. Forbes writes that Millennials are “constantly seeking purpose in what they do for a living.” Harvard Business Review published this report on Millennials’ investment priorities, who were significantly more likely to prioritize investment decisions according to their own social, political, or environmental values, and more than any other generation, were more likely to believe that it’s possible to achieve returns from investments based on social or environmental impact.
Idealistic and motivated by social good, Millennials are a great resource for nonprofits – especially those that serve teens and young adults. So what’s the best approach to getting them involved?
Your first step is a step away.
If you’re responsible for a program involving young people, focus less on control and more on facilitation. You want to provide a space and tools for young, talented people to guide their own programming. It’s time for your young people to make some choices of their own, within an effective and engaged collaborative team. You want your blossoming leaders to take pride and ownership in what they’re doing.
Keep the conversation going.
Have plenty of opportunities for evaluation, feedback and revision. You want to have a directed approach, but you also want to make sure that everyone’s perspectives are being considered and addressed. Don’t focus too much on finding one thing that works. No program is perfect and Millennials are visionaries. Encourage them to experiment. Keep them focused, but don’t overlook the abundance of good ideas they have to offer.
They’re too old to play in the sandbox.
Roleplaying and simulations are great, but nothing beats real world experience. When we first venture out there, we make plenty of mistakes and we learn from them. Send your Millennials out into the community and encourage them to interact with people of all ages and backgrounds. They’re ready and willing. Hands-on experiences in the community will also give your Millennials the opportunity to witness their impact. It isn’t enough to give them the statistics; Millennials want to experience the good firsthand.
Kurt Cobain still had a point.
When I think about the shift from Generation X, I can’t help but juxtapose the image of unkempt Kurt Cobain singing about the damaged world and the struggling people in it, and the image of glittery Katy Perry convincing you that you’re a firework - whether you’ve worked at being special or not. You wouldn’t want to choose one of those perspectives over the other, but put side-by-side, they represent relatable truths from which we can all learn.
Millennials do want it now, and that enthusiasm is irreplaceable – but I think this generation will often fall prey to overlooking faults. They want to celebrate the best things first, and then discuss some solutions to problems. But they don’t get too excited about investigating a problem just to see how deep it goes. If your tendency is to analyze every flaw first and you’re getting ready to burst that perfect bubble, take it easy: The Millennial’s enthusiasm is precious and too much realism can damage it.
Set very specific goals and establish a way to measure progress BEFORE you begin your project. Then when you present a flaw to your sunny Millennial, do so with the full intention of brainstorming and finding an inspiring solution.
PATCH Perfect
The PATCH Program in Madison, WI uses these strategies with amazing results. Providers and Teens Communicating for Health is an intervention program that helps educate both teens and practitioners about health care rights and communication techniques. PATCH offers two types of workshops, one for teens and one for providers. Both workshops are collaboratively taught and led by a team of Teen Educators who come from all backgrounds, including diverse cultural backgrounds and sexual orientations.
Image courtesy PATCH.
Peer Mentorship is a best practice for a variety of social services. When dealing with a sensitive issue, it’s helpful to receive help from someone who has dealt with a similar situation – and been successful. It’s also important for health practitioners to work with teens who are knowledgeable: these Teen Educators demonstrate that teens are capable of asking questions and, to a certain extent, capable of taking responsibility for their own health. This is an example of when it is appropriate to allow someone to lead even if they lack experience.
It’s also an example of where real-world interaction is irreplaceable. The conversations that happen during these workshops can’t be passively experienced. Recording a video or writing a blog can’t convey the same information. Questions and dialogue in the workshop also help to keep evolving the Teen Educators’ message to workshop participants.
With this model, the Teen Educators are able to observe immediate impacts. Teen participants can express how helpful the information is, and Practitioner participants can express how the workshop has in some way changed their perspective. Ongoing evaluation will have to be done externally to assess whether the information given is put to long-term use, but this short-term evaluation process keeps the Teen Educators excited about and committed to what they’re doing. It also demonstrates that the program is, at minimum, an important advocacy tool.
The Teen Educators themselves benefit hugely from the program, too. The workshops require not only fantastic public speaking skills, but also in-depth knowledge of a number of sensitive and complex issues. The Teen Educators are expected to work with both peers and health practitioners. This program requires skills that would be hugely valuable to any employer – and communities also benefit from the values PATCH promotes, such as civic engagement and tolerance. This is Civic Engagement 101, but the beauty of it is that it isn’t just a theoretical class; it’s a program that has real-world impact. This is the kind of experience that can change an individual for life.
I hope this profile inspires you to investigate ways in which you can improve your work with Millennials. To learn more about PATCH, visit their website and be sure to “like” their Facebook page.
Any other tips for working with Millennials? Leave them in the comments below!