We’re on the Rise: How Social Movements Support Youth Well-Being

Youth—people ages of 15–24 years—are at the forefront of present-day social movements focused on climate justice, civic activation, gun reform, and racial justice. Social movements occur when people with a shared purpose come together to take collective action in order to achieve a social justice goal. This article examines how youth-organized social movements not only propel individual and collective action but also actively support and sustain youth well-being. We define well-being as feeling positive, socially connected, and purposeful. We explore social movement practices for promoting individual and collective youth well-being. This research builds on dual insights: (1) the well-being practices of youth social movement organizers and (2) the extant literature in consumer research and its associated disciplines. Finally, we highlight insights from consumer research that advance our understanding of youth well-being and raise questions to encourage more researchers to investigate how social movements support youth well-being and well-doing.