There is a good chance your organization has discussed the idea of how to reach the millennial generation. Smart leaders recognize the importance of keeping young people integrated and active within churches, schools and community nonprofits. It is critical to engage young constituents – one day they will serve as the next generation of leaders. Without young, dedicated people in our communities, our missions and organizations would cease to exist. I’ve identified three areas on which to focus when it comes to engaging this unique and sometimes hard-to-reach generation.
CONNECT
Start with active members. These individuals may have children in your school or youth program, or they may be a recent college graduate. These young people are looking for a place to embrace as a community. Connect young, active members with a longtime couple or individual to help with the annual stewardship drive, fall festival or the school auction.
COMMUNICATE
Having an online presence is one thing. Having an online presence with relevant content is another. Focus on crafting a message that connects with the populations you need it to reach. The best way to guarantee you reach millennials? Ask them to run your social media platforms for you. Whether it’s a church blog, Facebook page or Twitter handle, it is essential that these are used and managed by the right people.
COMMISSION
Millennials are often influenced by the decisions and behaviors of their peers. Once you’ve identified the young individuals or couples who are invested in your community, ask them to be more involved with engaging the communities you serve. Inspire them to network within their personal circles and encourage them to invite their peers to worship services, organizational meetings or school functions. Most people won’t attend an event or service without being invited first.
Every organization can benefit from engaging millennials – their new ideas and energy bring opportunity to an organization. In addition, bringing millennials into the fold allows your existing members to mentor and engage in new ways. Ideally, as your leadership prepares to pass the torch, you will find you have created a capable and credible pool of protégés who are invested in your organization and are ready to take the reins.
I encourage you to contact me at any time if you have questions regarding best practices and the professional services of the Steier Group.
