Cultivating young philanthropists: Children, philanthropy and wealth transfer

Abstract

This article on raising wealthy children to be philanthropic is prompted by the £5.5Tn wealth transfer predicted to take place in the United Kingdom over the coming decades. The impending wealth transfer presents an unprecedented income opportunity for a charity sector faced with increasing societal needs and declining statutory income. Drawing on the premise that engaging children in philanthropic activities can lead to higher participation levels in adulthood, this paper examines how children from wealthy households engage with philanthropy at home and school. A mixed-methods approach involving research with and not on children is used to explore what kind of philanthropic citizen these children are becoming. Two surveys, five focus groups, and four interviews were used to generate insights from 222 ‘financially secure’ 9 to 11-year-old children, 113 parents and four teachers. The study, drawing on models of citizenship, finds a cohort of children exhibiting characteristics aligned with the concept of ‘personally responsible’ philanthropic citizens. This outcome is considered desirable for promoting charitable giving among a demographic likely to have the means and resources to give generously in adulthood. However, the findings suggest a lack of opportunities for children to acquire the knowledge and skills that enable informed giving decisions or the spaces in which to critically engage with charities, causes, and the issues that create the need for philanthropy in the first place. The research supports calls in the literature for a more participatory and social-justice-oriented approach to philanthropic education and participation in schools. The findings, of interest to scholars and practitioners alike, address a gap in empirical evidence regarding children and philanthropy in the United Kingdom.