01.01.2025-31.12.2026
Studies show that Generation Z has a pronounced awareness of sustainability, whose wishes and expectations are not only to consume more sustainably themselves, but also to accelerate positive changes for nature and society. At the same time, paradoxes and areas of tension arise, as their actual behavior in many areas (e.g. travel, retail, food) is not necessarily more sustainable than that of other generations and their commitment to voluntary work is limited. Although more active involvement in public protests (e.g. Fridays for Future) can be observed, active participation that goes beyond protests and is reflected in concrete measures (e.g. nature conservation, social work, political engagement, etc.) is low among Generation Z nationwide. As part of the multi-stage research project and with the inclusion of relevant theories and models (including the COM-B model and the Reflexive Agents of Change model), the motives and motivations, but also obstacles to the active, voluntary engagement of Gen Z are to be investigated. The entire research project is being carried out in cooperation with New Zealand researchers from the University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand), so that extensive comparisons between Germany and New Zealand will also be possible. As part of DAAD mobility funding, the six Project collaborators also spend four weeks at each of the partner institutions.
– Phase 1: Extensive literature analysis and implementation of a scoping review (completed in March 2025)
– Phase 2: Conducting qualitative interviews & focus groups (conducted in New Zealand in February-March 2025, conducted in Germany in May-June 2025)
– Phase 3: Representative online survey of Gen Z (planned for fall 2025)
– Phase 4: Development of interventions and measures in collaboration with partner organizations in New Zealand and Germany (planned for spring 2026)
– Phase 5: Testing of selected interventions and measures (possibly in cooperation with partner organizations) in New Zealand and Germany (planned for summer-autumn 2026)
Interim report (May 2025)
Study 1 (see downloads) presents the results of a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature (n = 30), which analyzed programs and measures to promote youth volunteering. The findings make it clear that so far only a few studies have discussed specific measures aimed specifically at increasing volunteering among young people. Most of the existing literature focuses on the experiences of young people in social and environmental volunteering programs. It identifies key factors that are important for the involvement of younger population groups in the voluntary sector, key resources and activities of existing programs and the impact of volunteering on the younger generation. Knowledge, social norms, awareness of the consequences of volunteering as well as altruistic and selfish motives prove to be key factors that play a central role in the programs and measures examined. Finally, implications for future research on the development of effective measures to activate volunteering among young people are derived.
University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand)
DAAD mobility funding (project-related exchange programs (PPP)), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
