Weekly Insights
What church leaders need to know about young parents and their views about schooling.
Stat of the day:
73% of Millennial parents say that they are teaching their children about alternatives to traditional college education
Why it matters:
As many struggle under the financial burden of student loans, young people are taking steps to ensure that their children are aware of ways to minimize or avoid such loans for themselves by exploring options beyond a four-year degree.
What can we do?
Young people wish they knew more about alternatives to a traditional four-year college education, and they are taking steps to ensure that their children are fully aware of their options. Churches can support young families by getting involved and having go-to options for teenagers who are hesitant about or uninterested in going to college. Trade school, a service year, or an unskilled labor position can all provide young people with the time and space to think through their options without incurring tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
Try it:
Consult parish and community leaders about service opportunities, trade schools and unskilled labor positions in your area and compile a list to provide to parents and youth. Consider advertising your list so that young parents (who are very anxious about student loan debt for themselves and their children) and young people are aware of the alternatives at hand. Such advertising could also help the church’s image, since it shows a vested interest in young people, the community at large, and a national crisis that affects all our communities.