What Kids & Teens Are Telling Us About Their Future: New Survey

This week, Boys & Girls Clubs of America published our annual Youth Right Now survey — learning from over 140,000 young people what matters to them today and how they’re feeling about their futures.

That’s over 140,000 perspectives on how youth are feeling about their current academic status and their career potential. Their leadership skills and emotional well-being. And the issues that matter most to teens and tweens today.

Each year, Boys & Girls Clubs of America shares our youth survey with the public because we are all partners in ensuring today’s young people have what they need to be successful. From families to educators, policymakers and fellow youth serving organizations, we all have a part to play.

And there is no time like the present, as the back-to-school is once again upon us. As a parent and the leader of a youth development organization, I know America’s kids and teens are going to need much more than school supplies to successfully achieve in the year ahead.

Based on the insights we’ve learned from an incredibly diverse group of Gen Z and Gen Alpha youth, a back-to-school essentials list might look a little more like this:

• Access.
  Creating a culture of opportunity for young people is vital for their success and the prosperity of our communities. Young people need a strong foundation to thrive, which includes safe environments and reliable meals. But it doesn’t stop there. Providing them with opportunities to grow and develop as individuals is equally important.This can be achieved through access to quality education, mentorship programs, afterschool programs and exposure to diverse experiences.

  By investing in our youth, we’re not just helping them succeed; we’re also investing in the future of our society. When young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential, they become active contributors to their communities and drive innovation and progress.

  

  

• Character development, critical thinking and social skills.
  When I was growing up, I saw the values of my family, school, church and community and began to build my own values and character on that foundation. Today’s youth are a tap away from a 24/7 digital world of values, experiences, news, sensationalism, facts and opinions. In our 2024 survey results, this statistic stood out to me:

  In 2024, it’s no surprise when I say this one can be hard for adults, too — how do we model respect and listening? Compromise and moving forward?It’s more important than ever that youth learn about themselves, develop their personal values, and learn how to have respectful conversations with people and ideas of all kinds.

• People who believe in them. There is no more powerful factor in a young person’s life than an adult who believes in them. Over 160 years, this is something we’ve learned firsthand at Boys & Girls Clubs. Whether it’s mentorship and guidance or adults giving kids the responsibility to speak up for what matters most to them, caring adults have a huge role to play in the future success of America’s children.

  As youth champions, one thing Boys & Girls Clubs of America has been working tirelessly to address is supporting youth mental health and well-being. Echoing the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey Summary & Report, we’re seeing in our data some signs of hope in how young people are feeling:

  

  We’ve still got a way to go in supporting youth mental and emotional well-being. But I feel confident that when caring adults listen to and partner with young people, positive change isn’t far behind. Today’s youth have an incredible voice and they plan on making a difference:

  

When we all stand united for youth, we don’t only just ensure a smoother school year ahead — we remind ourselves that not only do these kids deserve great futures, they’re going to shape our future.

Join us in becoming a champion of youth. I hope you will consider:

• Becoming a Boys & Girls Clubs of America donor. If you become a monthly donor you get the added bonus of receiving one of my favorite “Kids These Days… Will Change the World” T-shirts!
• Signing up for our newsletter to hear stories and data from Boys & Girls Club kids across the nation.

Jim Clark
President and CEO
Boys & Girls Clubs of America

*Explore insights and full survey results at BGCA.org/YouthRightNow. Data points marked with an asterisk are comprised of responses from 2,985 Boys & Girls Club teens and tweens from 46 states and the District of Columbia collected between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. For several of the survey questions, teens and tweens were allowed to selected multiple answers. Because of this, the percentages provided reflect the proportion of respondents who selected each of those answers.