Millennials

Community development, is wide-ranging, but usually is understood as the alliance of community organizations, civic leaders, involved citizens, and professionals, to improve various aspects of housing, literacy, health and wellness, workforce empowerment, and wealth equity, to build stronger and more resilient local communities.

In urban communities throughout the U.S., various approaches to community development are being implemented by organizations comprised of people from diverse backgrounds, yet who have a common goal to collaborate towards a desired outcome.

One such entity is Neighborhoods, Inc. of Battle Creek (NIBC), which promotes 4 pillars of community development: (1) Lending and loan servicing, (2) Housing development and rehabilitation, (3) Property management, and (4) Homebuyer education and financial coaching.

These 4 components of community services allow NIBC to offer a full service, one-stop-shop for

communities, which need and want their services. Particularly for communities like Battle Creek, Michigan, which has an aging population but a growing millennial community, thriving charitable organizations, good education systems, lots of available land, and good municipal leadership, who all need to see themselves as part of the solution for how their city will function and work in the future. This inclusive approach is the future of community development.

As we face a future that is expected to witness a growing contribution of community intervention in governance and developmental drive of the society, we need to weigh the contribution of the new generation of millennials toward community development.

Millennials, by expert calculations, the largest generation in history, are now advancing into adulthood. This means they are poised to reshape the way community development is being achieved in their society, through their own life lens.

The values and belief systems of millennials have caused a shift in modern society’s behaviors. Their values, norms and habits are a departure from those of previous generations. This has affected their involvement in community development.

For example, due to millennials’ affinity for technology, information concerning interventions during disasters, political mobilization and other social engagements are often shared through mobile apps and social media platforms.

The increasing dominance of interactions through social media and apps, as opposed to interpersonal interactions among those in previous generations, is impacting community development.

In many cases, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and even before then, there has been a growing need to hold town hall meetings, and other municipal related meetings, job related, work group collaboration meetings, and discussions through social media or digital video platforms. It is believed that this will maintain a safe and healthy approach to doing business, widen the opinion base and allow participants to engage in other activities simultaneously. This is right up the ally of modern norms of communication for the Millennials.

As a result of their life experiences, millennials have changed the face of community development. This generation of young people must be accorded equal priority attention, if any social program is to be successful.

This way, communities and society will prepare millennials for the greater task of being productive human beings and building strong, healthy, viable and connected communities. Through good leadership and purpose driven strategies involving housing, education, workforce empowerment, and wealth equity initiatives, NIBC can help constitute the next generation of great community leaders.

Millennials are the future of community development, but we do not have to wait until tomorrow to empowering their lives. The future can start today. © 2020 JDL