The International Youth Foundation (IYF) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), with support from Hilton, released The Global Millennial Viewpoint Survey, which examines the perceptions of 7,600 youth in 30 countries. The survey provides insight into how young people see the world today in areas ranging from education and economic opportunity to health and civic participation, among other areas of interest.
Key findings from the survey include:
- Young people are optimistic about their economic futures: 76 percent of youth surveyed agreed with the statement, "I will be able to get the kind of job I want."
- Youth feel disconnected from their governments: 65 percent think their government does not care about their wants and needs.
- Mental healthcare is an unaddressed need among youth: 60 percent said that "the way I feel emotionally gets in the way of my studies, job or social life.”
- Income inequality is a major concern for youth: 90 percent agreed with the statement, "There is too much economic divide between the high and low income."
- Income and job flexibility are most important for young people choosing a career path: 71 percent and 56 percent, respectively, ranked these two as the most important factors.
Flexibility in the workplace, starting salary and long-term earning potential appear to be the primary career path drivers for millennials, and young people across all of the regions surveyed said they want their supervisors to help them grow and to demonstrate that they respect and trust them versus talking down to them.
"With 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 worldwide, understanding how this generation thinks and feels about their lives and futures is crucial for governments, the private sector and society at large,” said Max Verstraete, VP Corporate Responsibility & ADA Compliance, Hilton. “At Hilton, we believe that understanding, empowering and investing in the next generation is both a responsibility and an opportunity for our business."
The study reveals that relatively low percentages of youth feel that their governments care about their wants and needs. At the same time, young people also strongly believe that government plays an important role in their lives: 63 percent of those surveyed acknowledge that governance and politics affect them.
"Too often, young people find themselves as passive recipients of policies and programs designed for them,” said Bill Reese, President and CEO, International Youth Foundation. “This survey aims to shift that paradigm, asking youth what they feel about issues of critical importance.
“Young people will continue to shape our world for years to come,” Reese said. “Understanding their opinions, fears, and aspirations is critical to their success and our collective future."
Click here to access the 2016 Global Millennial Viewpoint Survey. Deloitte, a financial consultant, also recently put out an interesting millennial survey of its own earlier this year, which can be accessed via its website.
