In April 2021, Voices for National Service and With Honor Action commissioned TargetPoint Consulting and GQR to conduct a national poll to better understand young people’s attitudes towards employment, service, and the economy in advance of commencement season.
The TargetPoint/GQR poll of 18–24 year-old adults found near universal support for expanding national service opportunities through AmeriCorps and a great majority of those surveyed would consider serving in AmeriCorps.
Top TargetPoint/GQR Poll findings include:
- Young adults (aged 18-24) are concerned about the current job market (80%), and a strong majority (71%) say they would consider or have already signed up for AmeriCorps.
- Concerns over the economy and enthusiasm for service are extremely high for young people across political, regional, and economic demographics.
- Young people believe AmeriCorps service can be part of one’s civic duty (87%), help them solve problems in their communities (86%), and enable them to gain real world experience and transferable skills before entering an uncertain job market (85%).
- Young people view direct service in their communities as the most effective way to make change (89%), more than serving in government, working in politics, or joining the private sector.
- Active duty and those considering the military (91%), and people who live in a household with a veteran (88%) widely see AmeriCorps as another avenue to traditional service and a major benefit to the country.
- Young people overwhelmingly support additional federal funding for AmeriCorps.
- 81% said that it was a good idea to increase the budget for AmeriCorps in the most recent COVID-19 relief package and 79% think it would be a good idea to have additional funding this year.
- 83% support funding included in the American Rescue Plan to increase AmeriCorps member living allowances to help cover a participant’s basic expenses during their service term.
Download a joint memo from TargetPoint and GQR summarizing the April 2021 poll results
Download the topline poll results
Click here to read a press release from Voices for National Service
The April 2021 poll is a follow-up to a May 2020 poll conducted by TargetPoint. The earlier public opinion survey interviewed registered voters of all ages living in 16 battleground states and found that:
- 80% of voters across party lines support increasing the federal investment in national service to help communities recover from COVID-19.
- Eight in ten votes support expanding AmeriCorps to help graduates and the unemployed contribute to our national recovery while they earn a college opportunity and valuable skills for the future.
To learn more about the TargetPoint’s May 2020 poll, click here.