Throughout the past decade, the idea of "doing good" has gone mainstream. More people than ever are becoming involved with social causes, and companies are quickly following suit by ramping up their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. While this heightened social awareness is nothing new, a trend has surfaced recently that captures the hearts of millions around the word: The rise of social movements inspired by children.
Working at the Public Interest Registry -- the nonprofit organization that manages the .ORG domain globally -- I am increasingly aware of the many causes on .ORG that have amazing stories to tell. Specifically, our team often notices a growing crop of organizations emerging from the selfless acts of young kids. These children inspire hundreds of thousands to support their causes, raising millions of dollars, and positively changing the lives of countless individuals worldwide. A few recent examples include:
While it's obvious why these extreme acts of kindness tug at heartstrings around the world, I can't help wonder why these kids are thinking about social issues at such a young age. Perhaps the driving factor stems from children now seeing examples of philanthropy everywhere they turn -- from school fundraisers that involve even pre-school kids to hearing mom and dad donate that extra dollar to a cause at the grocery checkout. As giving back is increasingly the norm, a sense of altruism has trickled down to a much younger generation and become integrated into children's lives from the start. Whether it's donating toys they pick out at the local toy store to Toys-for-Tots during the holidays or asking for donations to charity: water instead of birthday gifts, children want to better understand how they can make a positive impact on the world.
Which begs my next question: How it's possible that a single child can make such a widespread impact on the world? I chalk-up the success of these movements to three key ingredients: Technology, simplicity and community support. Technology is arguably the single-most important factor that enabled these children's causes to reach the masses. Traditional campaign websites and online donation tools, coupled with the real-time and viral nature of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social networking platforms, enabled these touching stories to spread far and wide, and quickly.
Don't underestimate the simplicity of these ideas, either. In each of the three examples I mentioned, the goals of each cause are crystal clear, and the tactics used to reach them couldn't be simpler. After all, can you think of a more elementary idea for fundraising than setting up a lemonade stand? In addition, it doesn't hurt that by nature, children are kindhearted, innocent and lacking in cynicism. These qualities lead them to believe, and rightfully so, that no goal is unachievable and no task or donation too small.
Lastly, these young individuals' philanthropic movements wouldn't be successful without the support of their families and communities. However, it isn't simply that they had a support system in place -- from parents and extended family to teachers and church members -- that they could lean on if needed. These children's supporters truly believed that they could make a difference and consequently empowered them with the necessary time, resources and energy to advance their missions.
These are just a few of many examples of how children leading and inspiring movements raised the bar for giving across the world, kick-starting a surge in youth leading the charge for social change. Such examples show that with passion, clear objectives and the support of a community, anyone -- no matter how young or old -- can make a difference.
So the next time you feel that a goal is just too lofty, think of Rachel Beckwith, Alex Scott and Macallan Durkin. I hope their efforts are an inspiration to all, and I look forward to seeing how the courageous efforts of other children shape the world of giving in the years ahead.
You have successfully devalued the meaning of "movement" by equating nice causes pursued by sincere children to hard fought battles led by people placing their lives and fortunes at risk in struggles to achieve fundamental societal change in the face of massive, even violent resistance. Take, for example, the case of Myanmar (Burma) and the years-long struggle of Aung San Suu Kyi to inspire and lead a movement there for democratization. That's a movement. Not the loving hands at home efforts -- however well-intentioned -- of children who barely understand what forces for the status quo and complacency reside in the society they will inherit.
Paul Vandeventer
Community Partners
Los Angeles, CA
www.CommunityPartners.org