Philanthropy – a learned behavior

February 21, 2017

When you think of philanthropy, what comes to mind? Big checks? Fancy balls? The old school imagery of being a philanthropists has evolved into a dynamic and inviting practice of giving your Time, Talent or Treasure without expecting anything in return. That is the first lesson that is taught through Project Heart, our philanthropy education curriculum. Using Common Core standards for literacy and writing, Project Heart teaches students vocabulary words like “give”, “philanthropy” and “nonprofit” in order to build a firm foundational understanding of the bigger concept of philanthropy. From there, the curriculum dives deeper into the “where”, “why” and “how” of giving back.

Wondering why it is important to teach students about philanthropy? According to research,

“While philanthropy is an altruistic impulse, it is also a learned behavior (Falco et al., 1998; Schervish, 1997). In a recent study, Ottoni-Wilhelm et al. (2014) finds that young people are more likely to give and volunteer if they have been exposed to both conversations about philanthropy and role-modeling of philanthropic behaviors” (IUPUI. p. 9).”

Teaching students about philanthropy helps them to understand what it means to be an active and contributing member of their community. Teaching students about giving back at a young age also empowers them – they learn that no matter how old they are or where they come from, the have the power and ability to give and make a difference! Once a student is empowered, the sky is truly the limit!

Help your students learn how to be philanthropists! Register to get Project Heart at no cost today!