Connecting and engaging the Emerging Generation of India
In order to understand the emerging generation of India we decided to conduct an HCD process where 'H' stands for Hearing, 'C' for Create and 'D' for deliver. For the hearing part of the HCD we selected two metros - Bangalore and Kolkata. The hearing interviews were conducted in some of the strategic and prime campuses in these two cities for a period of five months starting from July 2010. The interview had series of probing and wide open questions on various aspects of a student’s life ranging from friends , family, finances to future. The interviewer took time to observe, listen and hear keenly rather than just conducting a survey.
A total of 250 students were interviewed from the two cities and the hearing process has thrown out some interesting findings about the emerging generation of students in India.
Some key findings:
Almost 75% of the students interviewed said that their major leisure activity and idea of fun was hanging out with friends.
70% of the students responded that their major mode of communication is mobile phone and SMS.
Almost 85% of them said that friends play a major role in their life especially in decision making.
65% of the students responded that finance is the most important aspect of life.
Another 68% of the students said that they believe in Karma as the controlling factor in their life.
An interesting response was almost 90% of the students responded that they believe in God or a supreme being.
Career, friends, finance and family came out as their main life concerns.
Majority of them responded that malls and coffee shop were their favorite hangout places.
They are more health conscious and consider being fit as trendy.
What is going on beneath the surface? What are the hidden things in their lives that are important?
They have a desire for intimacy. Many of them said that they felt lonely in spite of being with lots of friends.They desire to be loved and valued for who they are.
Many of them were passive in taking a stance on absolute truth. They did not believe in one truth and did not care much about what others believe. They cared about what they believed and considered that to be the truth. It is the itruth generation.
Majority of them had some idea of God and believed in some kind of a God or supreme being/power. But they were confused and not sure about what they believed in about God. Most of them said that they believed what their parents told them about God and just followed it and mostly used God for personal benefits.
Many of them said that they don’t understand God, felt that he is distant and uninvolved. They were confused about God’s role in their life and many of them wanted to explore and understand it.
Connecting and engaging this generation needs an entirely different approach. They don't like to be preached to, they hate advises, they shut themselves up to big messages and principles. This is the itruth generation, they would like to see the truth being lived out, explore it, grapple with it and experience it. This does not mean that we need to distort the truth and clone it to meet their views, no not at all. We still need to present the truth from the Word, but the key is in engaging them in open conversations and identifying with them. In-carnational gospel is the need of the hour, not our age old materials and tried and tested methods, there are no set ways & methods of connecting and engaging them, it is all about being open,transparent and conversational to them in the power of the Holy Spirit and with much prayer.
A total of 250 students were interviewed from the two cities and the hearing process has thrown out some interesting findings about the emerging generation of students in India.
Some key findings:
Almost 75% of the students interviewed said that their major leisure activity and idea of fun was hanging out with friends.
70% of the students responded that their major mode of communication is mobile phone and SMS.
Almost 85% of them said that friends play a major role in their life especially in decision making.
65% of the students responded that finance is the most important aspect of life.
Another 68% of the students said that they believe in Karma as the controlling factor in their life.
An interesting response was almost 90% of the students responded that they believe in God or a supreme being.
Career, friends, finance and family came out as their main life concerns.
Majority of them responded that malls and coffee shop were their favorite hangout places.
They are more health conscious and consider being fit as trendy.
What is going on beneath the surface? What are the hidden things in their lives that are important?
They have a desire for intimacy. Many of them said that they felt lonely in spite of being with lots of friends.They desire to be loved and valued for who they are.
Many of them were passive in taking a stance on absolute truth. They did not believe in one truth and did not care much about what others believe. They cared about what they believed and considered that to be the truth. It is the itruth generation.
Majority of them had some idea of God and believed in some kind of a God or supreme being/power. But they were confused and not sure about what they believed in about God. Most of them said that they believed what their parents told them about God and just followed it and mostly used God for personal benefits.
Many of them said that they don’t understand God, felt that he is distant and uninvolved. They were confused about God’s role in their life and many of them wanted to explore and understand it.
Connecting and engaging this generation needs an entirely different approach. They don't like to be preached to, they hate advises, they shut themselves up to big messages and principles. This is the itruth generation, they would like to see the truth being lived out, explore it, grapple with it and experience it. This does not mean that we need to distort the truth and clone it to meet their views, no not at all. We still need to present the truth from the Word, but the key is in engaging them in open conversations and identifying with them. In-carnational gospel is the need of the hour, not our age old materials and tried and tested methods, there are no set ways & methods of connecting and engaging them, it is all about being open,transparent and conversational to them in the power of the Holy Spirit and with much prayer.
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