Millennials as Social Entrepreneurs

When it comes to millennials, we hear complaints about how hard they are to manage. This is in part due to the different circumstances they grew up in - the computer, internet, social networks, and many other things we didn't have just twenty, even ten years ago. Some of the things I've heard are that the millennial generation has a sense of entitlement, has no of abstraction, and is impatient.

As I prepared to talk to the fourth year high school students of Assumption San Lorenzo, I started thinking about the PEACE program and its goal of encouraging these young students to become social entrepreneurs.  I began to see that millenials and the negative traits attributed to them are the very traits that make millenials great social entrepreneurs.

1. Sense of Entitlement - Millenials recognize that the world can be a better place and that they are entitled to it. There are a lot of young people I know who care passionately about a cause - be it ending cruelty to animals or education or the environment. What's great about the youth is that they don't expect this better world to be handed to them on a silver platter; they understand that they have a role in creating the better world they feel entitled to. What's more, they work to get other people to care for what they care about because they believe that everyone should care.

2. No Sense of Abstraction - With different media bombarding their senses every minute, the abstract is spelled out. But this turns into a positive because the youth spring into action. They don't bother with motherhood statements - nationalism, feminism, environmentalism and yet remaining in the sidelines. The youth act on what they believe in by volunteering, by starting innovative programs, by donating.

3. Impatient - The youth want change and they want it now. I think this is admirable. I knew I wanted to work somehow in social development but I thought that I should be financially stable first before I did so. To see young entrepreneurs in high school and college putting their ideas and ideals into action now and not twenty years from now is cause for celebration.

The photos here were taken during the visit of the Assumption students to PAMANA Cooperative, our partner, and the G&G office. The exuberance and enthusiasm they displayed was contagious and uplifting.

As they enter Phase 2 of the PEACE program where they start to work on the product prototypes, I can't wait to see what their creative minds will come up with and I can't wait to see the impact it will have on the livelihood of our partners. Truly, these Assumption students are living their faith in action.

Cheers!

Greg

Students take a photo of our poster of the 10 Fair Trade Principles

Students pose with the G&G logo, G&G Project Officer Jeremy Callegher, and G&G Executive Director Ms. Greg Perez

P.S. I was inspired by the writing and thinking of Angela Maiers and Deb Mills-Scofield on the subject. Here are two great posts: Angela Maiers' An Open Letter to Millenials, and Deb Mills-Scofield's Benefits of Being a Young Entrepreneur.