American Red Cross partnered with DoSomething Strategic (DSS) to develop The State of Gen Z Volunteerism Report which identifies the preferences and behaviors of this emerging generation.
Understanding the volunteer behavior of Gen Z is crucial for nonprofits to sustain and grow their volunteer bases.
The goal of this research is to enable the American Red Cross and other youth-serving organizations to leverage these insights to innovate in their approach to engaging youth, build the next generation of leaders, and diversify their volunteer base. Some of the challenges nonprofits have shared that they face are effective recruitment, engagement, and retention of Gen Z volunteers.
Furthermore, the sector must naviagte the transition and attrition of members from high school to college, which often results in a drop in volunteer engagement, lack of awareness about the variety of volunteer opportunities available, difficulties in engaging young people consistently, and the need for alignment and effective communication across lines of service within their organization.