Post on 26-Jul-2020
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
LEADING TOMORROW
STRATEGIES FOR A NEW GENERATION
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.www.leadingtomorrow.org
Understanding and Leading Generation Z in Short-Term
Missions
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Generations Today
• Silent: Born 1928-1945 (Age 72+)
• Boomer: Born 1946-1964 (Age 53-71)
• Gen X: Born 1965-1980 (Age 38-52)
• Millennials/Gen Y: Born 1980-1995 (Age 23-37)
• Gen Z/Homelanders: Born 1995-2010 (Age 8-22)
• Generation Alpha: Born after 2010 (Under 8)
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Sources of Age Diversity
• Life cycle effects: Young people differ from older people, but may resemble them later in life (idealism)
• Period effects: Major events (war, economic decline, etc.) affect people differently based on location in life cycle (recession)
• Cohort effects: Period events and trends that influence young adults as they are developing their core values (culture shift, education, parenting, technology)
Taylor, Paul, and Scott Keeter, eds. “Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change.”Pew Research Center. February 2010. Web. 13 September 2010.
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
“Every few hundred years in Western history there occurs a sharp
transformation…society rearranges itself…its worldview; its basic values; its social and political structure; its arts; its key institutions…we are currently living through just such a transformation…”
--Peter Drucker, Management Consultant
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Faith Trends
• Only 4% of Gen Z has a biblical worldview (as compared to 10% of Boomers): personal commitment to Jesus, Bible is accurate, responsibility to tell others, cannot get to heaven by being good, God is all-powerful creator and ruler of world)
• Teens are twice as likely as adults to say they are atheist (13% vs. 6%)
• 51% of Gen Z say happiness is theirultimate goal in life (43% say this=$$$)
• Biblical literacy is at an all-time low• Live in post-Christian/post-truth world
Adapted from Barna Group
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
post-truth adjective
Relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public
opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.
“Post”=‘belonging to a time in which the specified concept has become unimportant or irrelevant’
--Oxford Dictionary 2016 Word of the Year
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Education Trends
• School starting sooner, lasting longer without as much “real-life” experience, delayed adolescence
• Standardized tests, teaching to the tests
• Collaborative education, students work together, learn from peers and share responsibility
• Student-centered education, meets students where they are at, can create expectation of needs being served
• Technology…teachers give interpretation, not information
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Parenting Trends
• “Demon” child vs. “Angel” child • The era of the “wanted child” vs. the “latchkey”
child• Well-being of children has dominated national
debate• Fear of legal action (parents, teachers, coaches,
etc.)• Parental issues (insecurity, doubt, fear) affect
parenting in a more active vs. passive manner (comparison, criticism, competition)
• Protected by helicopter parents/stealth fighter parents, free range movement, double-minded parents (Barna)
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Technology Trends
• The average 13 to 17-year-old exchanges 3,339 text messages a month (The Nielson Company)
• Kids spend more time with technology than with family or in school, averaging 8-11 hours/a day (Kaiser Family Foundation Study)
• If ADHD has become ten times more likely in the past three decades
• More than half of children aged between two and ten feel more confident using a tablet than learning to swim, telling the time and tying their shoe laces (Huffington Post)
• Studies show that young people feel insecurity and social anxiety in a world where text messaging and posting have become appropriate platforms for personal confessions, breakups, anger and jealousy. (Steyer)
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Generation Z: Who are
they?
• Used to finding what they need in an instant (nearest Starbucks, latest music)
• Answers at their fingertips (Google), if they have a question, they go find an answer
• Digital natives use the internet to research their options, reference others, but independent thinkers
• Preparing early (many high schoolers taking classes for college credit, starting businesses, etc.)
• Raised in a culture of fear (post 9/11, recession, shootings, etc.)
• Creating and choosing through access to technology/internet since infancy
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Generation Z: Who are
they?
• Self Learners/Entrepreneurial (over 70% want to start business)
• Curious/Well Informed (access to information)
• Collaborative/Independent (make their own decision)
• Cautious/Realistic (vs. idealistic; value privacy)
• Diverse/Tolerant (struggle with identity and conviction)
• Future-Focused (vs. now focused)
• Work for Success (avoiding debt, seeking financial stability and happiness)
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
A Snapshot of the GenerationsSilent Boomers Xers Millennials Gen Z
Attitude w/Authority
Endure them Replace them Ignore them Choose them Do it yourself
Role of Relationship
Significant Limited, useful Central, caring Global, 24/7 Utilitarian
Value System Conservative Self-based Media Shop around Pragmatic
Role of Career Means of living Central focus Irritant Place to serve It’s my hobby
Schedules Mellow Frantic Aimless Volatile Multi-tasking
Technology Hope to outlive it Master it Enjoy it Employ it Hacker
View of Future Seek to stabilize Create it! Hopeless Optimistic FOMO
Elmore, Tim. Generation iY . Atlanta: Post Gardener Publishing, 2015.
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Technology vs. Soft Skills• Technology vs. empathy
• Information vs. attention span
• Options vs. long-term commitment
• Speed vs. patience & personal discipline
• External stimulation vs. internal motivation
• No consequences for failure vs. value of success
• Virtual connections vs. emotional intelligence
Elmore, Tim. Generation iY . Atlanta: Post Gardener Publishing, 2015.
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Engaging Gen Z in STMs: Pre-Field
• Use images/bites of info in messaging (6 second attention span; capture attention in first few minutes)
• Cultivate a relationship
• Be present where they are interacting (online)
• Educate on purpose/value of missions in general; trip specifically
• Communicate hope, their role in giving hope
• Communicate social media/technology guidelines and purpose!
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Leading Gen Z in STMs
• Be authentic, transparent; answer the “whys”
• Communicate belief; Teach like a mentor; assign mentors
• Expose them to different generations and relational scenarios to help them interact, gain emotional intelligence
• Don’t give them answers, help them find and interpret information; engage them as “uploaders” of information, participatory
• Foster unity and team building
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Encouraging Gen Z for Ministry On and
Beyond Trip
• Identify their gifts and strengths; encourage them in how God has designed them
• Demonstrate interest and investment in their skills/future
• Plant seeds regarding how they can invest in missions now and in the future
• Encourage them to take appropriate risks; not to fear failure
• Challenge them with something bigger, eternal; invest beyond the “now”
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Gen Z and Mid-Term Missions
www.gocorps.org
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Questions?
Feel free to contact me with other specific questions: jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Sources Referenced
• Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation, A Barna Report
• Generation iY by Tim Elmore
• Marching Off the Map by Tim Elmore
• “Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change,” Pew Research Center
Jolene Erlacher, Ed.D.jolene@leadingtomorrow.org
Other Recommended
Resources
• Meet Gen Z, by James Emery White
• iGen by Jean Twenge
• Glow Kids by Nicholas Kardaras
• The Shallows by Nicholas Carr
• Daniel Generation: Godly Leadership in anUngodly Culture by Jolene Cassellius Erlacher