Canadian youth spend more of their money on foreign aid than the government
When it comes to tackling global poverty, Canadian youth are putting their money where their leaders’ mouths are - according to Ipsos Reid/World Vision poll.
In a newly released poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of World Vision, Canadians age 14 to 18 reported donating, on average, about five per cent of their money to international charitable organizations. When asked how much of their total budget they think they could or should contribute toward international development, those polled said, on average, 6.5 per cent.
By contrast, Canada’s federal government spends approximately two per cent of its budget on foreign aid. World Vision, with other organizations in the Make Poverty History coalition, recommends staged increases to aid allotments over the next 10 years, effectively more than doubling the percentage of budget spent on aid by 2018. In this way Canada can meet its international commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of the Gross National Income on foreign aid.
“Clearly, there’s a disconnect between the eagerness of young Canadians to help eradicate poverty and what Canada is actually doing as a country,” says Michael Messenger, vice-president of public affairs for World Vision.
“Poverty eradication is an investment in a better global future - the future that these youth represent. The fact they’re giving considerably to international development efforts is tremendously significant,” Messenger notes.
In addition to giving money, Canadian youth are also giving of their time. Sixty-eight per cent of those surveyed said they had either volunteered, fundraised, organized an event, attended a workshop or conference, donated to a cause or campaigned, signed a petition or otherwise voiced their opinion on a global issue in the past year.
The poll findings confirm what World Vision has long known: that Canadian youth care about their peers in developing countries - and are acting on that concern. On April 11 and 12, more than 100,000 Canadian youth are expected to participate in the 37th annual World Vision 30 Hour Famine. They will fast for 30 hours to raise money for community development projects benefiting children in developing countries. Last year, Canadian youth raised $4.5 million through the 30 Hour Famine.
“The 30 Hour Famine is proof that Canadian youth want to make a difference,” says Esther Park, event coordinator for World Vision. As she points out, it was the global consciousness of Canadian youth that gave rise to the World Vision 30 Hour Famine in the first place. A group of Calgary teens held the original fast in 1971, moved to action by TV images of a famine in Africa. The event now involves youth in 15 countries annually.
This year, says Park, World Vision hopes the 30 Hour Famine will raise $5 million across Canada. The funds generated by the event will support projects to combat hunger, improve access to clean water, address HIV and AIDS, and help reintegrate former child soldiers into society.
“According to our poll, Canadian youth are already doing more than many people realize to help people living in poverty,” Park says. “They’re also saying they want to do even more. The Famine is a way for them to do that - and maybe inspire some adults to do more, too.”
