A story of opportunity: what Gallup’s Gen Z data tells us about purpose
A new Gallup survey finds that Gen Z wants to help people and that doing so is closely tied to their sense of meaning and wellbeing. PSiX director Anthony Burrow spoke with CNN about what the data reveals, and what it means for the organizations and institutions that work with young people.
The Gallup Voices of Gen Z report, released June 24 in partnership with the Walton Family Foundation and Harvard's Making Caring Common Project, surveyed more than 2,400 young people ages 13 to 28 across the United States. The findings show Gen Z is a deeply oriented toward purpose but often struggling to find it. Nearly 80% said they were interested in work that helps others, and a sense of purpose ranked among the strongest predictors of Gen Z happiness.
Burrow offered context on what the numbers reflect about how purpose works. He also pushed back on pessimistic readings of the data, describing the findings as “a story of opportunity.”