FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NEW: Young Americans Support the American Climate Corps, See Career Growth and Community-Building Opportunities in Green Jobs
While awareness of the ACC is limited, 73% of adults under 27 approve of the program. In focus groups, young people see the green industry as an area where they can attain job security and long-term career growth.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — New research from Data for Progress and Service Year Alliance finds that while they have heard little so far about the American Climate Corps, young people overwhelmingly say climate change is a concern and they want to take personal actions to protect our planet for future generations.
This past summer, the White House swore in the first class of the American Climate Corps (ACC), a federally supported workforce training and national service program that employs thousands of young Americans to tackle the climate crisis and its impacts.
The new research includes a national survey of young adults ages 18-26 and three national focus groups of 18- to 29-year-olds, both with a particular focus on BIPOC communities. Some of the top findings from the survey include:
- 81% of young people say that “climate change poses a serious threat to our future.”
- 67% of young people agree that they want to take more personal action to address climate change.
- 73% have a favorable opinion of the ACC.
- 65% of respondents say that they would recommend the ACC as a job opportunity to a friend or family member
- Gaining general work experience (89%), earning a living wage (87%), and protecting our planet for future generations (86%) are the top reasons a young person would join the ACC.
Some takeaways from our national focus groups include:
- Young people with limited awareness of the green sector and the ACC expressed misconceptions about the quality of jobs offered by the ACC, but education can help mitigate these barriers for young people.
- Despite low awareness, participants felt that green jobs could offer job security, and described the industry as future-oriented and growing.
- Across focus groups, participants felt that community building would be a strong benefit of participating in the ACC.
- Participants said they would look to ACC alumni to learn more about the program and the opportunities it presents for further career development and networking pathways.
“While young people don’t know much about the American Climate Corps, opportunities to earn a good wage, jump-start a career, and make an impact on their community are appealing to them,” said Grace Adcox, Senior Climate Strategist at Data for Progress. “Young people are interested in the ACC and green sector jobs when they hear about the range of opportunities these programs can offer, but they still need to hear more from those who have firsthand experience in these fields.”
“Young people recognize the grave threat that climate change poses to our future,” said Kristen Bennett, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “This is a pivotal moment for our country to embrace service year programs like the American Climate Corps as a solution to help address climate change impacts and as a pathway for young people to gain the skills and experience necessary to succeed in the in-demand green jobs that our workforce needs.”
Read the full report here.
For questions about the poll, Service Year Alliance’s new climate project, or to explore ways to get involved, please contact Nick Zevely at [email protected]
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About Data for Progress
Data for Progress is a progressive think tank and polling firm, which arms movements with data-driven tools to fight for a more equitable future. DFP provides polling, data-based messaging, and policy generation for the progressive movement, and advises campaigns and candidates with the tools they need to win. DFP polling is regularly cited by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and hundreds of other trusted news organizations.
Learn more at dataforprogress.org or follow DFP on Twitter at @dataprogress.
About Service Year Alliance
Service Year Alliance is working to make a year of paid, full-time service — a service year — a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans. We envision a future in which national service is an integral part of growing up in America, with one million young people serving their communities each year. To make this vision a reality, we partner with states, agencies, and local organizations to expand the number of service year opportunities through new models and funding sources. To enhance the corps member and alumni experience, we develop partnerships to build and scale key national service innovations to demonstrate how service transforms lives. At the core of our work is a commitment to raising up the voices and experiences of young people, corps members, and alumni.
Learn more at serviceyearalliance.org or follow us on Twitter at @serviceyear.
