InnerView Report Shows 2.3 Million Hours of Student Action Across UN Global Goals

Global Goals Week Partner InnerView reveals how young people turn local service into sustained leadership and community impact

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- During Global Goals Week, official partner InnerView today released its 2025–26 SDG Youth Impact & Insights Summary, an annual analysis of hundreds of thousands of volunteer experiences reported by high school and college-age students across the United States.

The report provides a national view into how young people are responding to community needs, what issues matter most to them, what motivates them to serve, and how their engagement develops over time. Participation spans all 50 states and all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During the 2025–26 school year, students in the InnerView network contributed 2.3 million hours of community service, representing an estimated $85.3 million in community impact.

The findings also point to deeper and more sustained engagement. Students in the “Leader” stage of the InnerView Engagement Continuum averaged 146 hours of service and 29 activities, while average annual service increased from 28.9 hours in a student’s first year to 39.9 hours in their second year, a 38% increase.

Connectedness emerged as the leading motivation for student service, associated with 42% of recorded activities, followed by compassion at 37%, suggesting that service is also a powerful way for young people to build relationships with their communities, causes and one another.

“Young people are uniquely positioned to spot challenges and take action in ways that inspire all of us,” said Kristine Sturgeon, CEO of InnerView. “What this report shows is that their service is not a collection of isolated moments. Students are exploring the issues they care about, building relationships, developing skills and increasingly stepping into leadership. Our job is to listen, connect their passions to meaningful opportunities and make their impact visible.”

Local Needs. Global Challenges.
Students took action connected to every one of the 17 Global Goals, addressing issues ranging from hunger, education and health to environmental sustainability, inequality and strong communities.

Good Health & Well-Being ranked as the Global Goal students considered most important, with 64% of students taking action connected to it. Quality Education generated more than $31 million in estimated community impact, the largest impact value among the individual Goals.

The data also underscores the importance of accessible pathways into service: 72% of activities were completed as part of a group, highlighting the role schools, clubs, nonprofits and community organizations can play in helping young people get involved.

Now in its eighth year working alongside students, schools, programs and partners across the United States, InnerView uses these insights to strengthen opportunities for youth service and leadership.

“Global Goals Week is an important moment to look at the challenges we share, but young people are reminding us that progress ultimately happens through action,” Sturgeon said. “When we give students meaningful ways to participate and recognize what they contribute, we help develop a generation that knows it has the ability to make a difference.”

Explore the complete 2025–26 SDG Youth Impact & Insights Summary.

About InnerView
InnerView connects students with meaningful opportunities to serve their communities, develop leadership skills and demonstrate their impact. Young people ages 14–25 can discover and document service experiences, connect their actions to the United Nations Global Goals, and build a Service Impact Resume for college and career applications. Support from InnerView’s Champions of Change enables students, high schools and college clubs across the United States to access InnerView programs and tools free of charge.

Brianna Fedak
InnerView
press@innerview.org