Charities urged to embrace technology

Engaging young people continues to be one of the largest challenges that charitable organisations face, yet many charities lack in an area where young people are most active: technology.

We could be optimistic and assume that people will go out of their way to donate to charity, but in the fast-paced world in which we find ourselves this just isn’t feasible. Gone are the days of standing in the street with a bucket; charities must recognise the technological development that sees three quarters of young people using contactless payment: over a quarter of them use it for most or all of their small transactions.

In a recent study on the retail industry in general, half of students said they would be more likely to frequent a business that offered reliable contactless payments, with four in ten saying they preferred the ease of paying with one tap compared to chip and pin. The interest in contactless donations is real but it is not being met – charities could capitalise substantially on cashless donations simply by embracing technology.

If charities seek to increase donations from young people and build up a future generation of givers, they also need to embrace digital channels in order to create more convenient and comfortable ways for younger people to donate. The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) recently reported that 69% of under-35s donate to charity at least once per year. These numbers, while encouraging, have a way to go before rivalling the 80% levels of the over-65s. The contrast is with the rates of online giving, with over a third of the younger cohort donating this way – this avenue is begging for investment from charities.

Looking to mobile, over half of those who use a smartphone also use an app for banking, but only one in ten donors have given to charity via an app. This split shows another area that charities could focus on to increase their donations, specifically from younger people.

A little innovation into the creation of such apps could go a long way. The CAF found that more people would donate via an app with a function that allowed them to see exactly what their donation would be spent on. Over a third would be happy to donate via an app that allows them to see how each charity spends money generally. By utilising technologies that young people are already using on a regular basis, charities can create an easy and interactive digital experience that will boost both engagement and donations.

Potential growth for charities lies within the hands of young people and by ignoring the demands of an ever-changing digital world, charities are disengaging young people from charity work and potentially limiting their donations. By moving quickly to adopt and capitalise on these new methods of supporting and spending, charities can not only tap into the generosity of younger, more tech-savvy givers but also ensure they are paving the way for future generations of regular donators.

Charities rely hugely on people’s desire to do good in the world; they must focus on making it as easy as possible to do so.

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