Exploring Meaning in Young Lives
The Youth Meaningfulness Index (YMI) aims to explore and measure how youth experience meaning in their lives.
WHY the YMI?
Young people are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. At the same time, research indicates a growing trend among youth towards conscious living a meaningful life.
We believe that the YMI will be a powerful tool for policy makers to help young people increase meaning in their lives.
In developing the YMI we aim to understand:
Drivers
What are the drivers of meaningfulness in young people?
Impact
What impact does meaningfulness have on educational and other socio-development outcomes?
Development
What role does meaning in life play in development more broadly?
Global Perspectives
How is meaningfulness experienced by children across different countries and cultures, and across different socio-economic groups?
Education
How can education prepare young people for leading a meaningful life?
Educators
What role can educators play in encouraging and supporting meaning?
+ 10K Surveyed
In Phase I of the YMI we collected responses from a total of 10,006 children and adolescents
9 Countries
The YMI team has global partners from Algeria, Denmark, Germany, India, Morocco, Norway, Peru, Ukraine, and the United States.
23 Sub-Drivers
23 sub-drivers of meaning in youth were identified in Phase I of the YMI
Words from the Advisory Council
“The purpose of education should be to give children days filled with meaning, connection and contribution – the best tools for a long and healthy life.
The YMI will help us make this a reality.”
“YMI serves as a much-needed tool for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners alike who are concerned about the future of youth and children worldwide.”
“YMI is a very unique project which is focusing on understanding the meaningfulness quotient among the individuals which is one of the most important life skills in the 21st century!!!”