Perhaps the outlook developed when COVID-19’s uncontrolled spread upended nearly every facet of their young lives. Maybe it was hardened as the worst of climate change’s harms grew likelier despite scientists’ stark warnings. It’s possible the attitude even formed from early memories of the financial insecurity brought upon their families by the Great Recession. Whatever the reason, Gen Z tends to lack trust in the major institutions that previous generations expected to safeguard their futures.

Around 1 in 10 adults under 30 had “a great deal of confidence” in the people running the Supreme Court in an AP-NORC poll from June 2024. A May 2023 survey found 44% of adults under 30 had “hardly any confidence at all” in those running banks and financial institutions — about twice the share of adults ages 60 and older, who felt the same way.

The gap extends to other behaviors. An AP-NORC poll conducted in March found that only about one-quarter of adults under 30 volunteered their time to charity in the past year or provided non-financial support to people in their community, compared to 36% of those over 60. Younger adults were also more likely than older adults to say they or their household donated $0 to charity, according to the poll, demonstrating the impact of Gen Z’s mistrust of institutions.

The philanthropic sector is working to reverse any disillusionment by empowering Gen Z to make the structural change they so often seek, working around Gen Z’s mistrust of institutions. Born out of the idea that young people distrust institutions because they don’t feel served or included, several initiatives are underway with hopes that more responsive institutions will be seen as more legitimate ones. Perhaps the most optimistic believe their energy can bring alternatives to the status quo to life — if only given meaningful roles.

“Young people — we’re not just victims of these systems. We have agency and we have power,” said Summer Dean, 27, who breaks down complex environmental topics into actionable information for the 116,000 followers of her Instagram, @climatediva.

Read the full article about Gen Z’s mistrust of institutions by James Pollard at Fortune.