Civic purpose is a sustained intention to contribute to something larger than oneself through meaningful action. Research published in the peer-reviewed journal Adolescents examined how the Climate Leaders Fellowship, a Rustic Pathways program developed in collaboration with the Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab, develops this capacity in teenagers from five countries.
The Research
Study: Lincoln, B., Patel, K.N., Binder, M., Lund, T.J., & Liang, B. (2024). Transforming Service into Civic Purpose: A Qualitative Study of Adolescent Civic Engagement and Purpose Development. Adolescents, 4(1), 90–106.
DOI: 10.3390/adolescents4010007
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Institution | Boston College, Department of Counseling Psychology |
| Journal | Adolescents (MDPI, peer-reviewed, open access) |
| Published | February 2, 2024 |
| IRB Approval | Boston College #22.259.01 |
| Sample | 9 Climate Leaders Fellowship participants |
| Demographics | Ages 15-17, 89% female |
| Countries | USA, Malaysia, Canada, Dominican Republic, Japan |
| Methodology | Directed content analysis of semi-structured interviews |
Transparency: This research was partially funded by Rustic Pathways. The funding disclosure states: “The sponsors had no role in the design, execution, interpretation, or writing of the study.” John Hsu, Director of the Climate Leaders Fellowship, is acknowledged for organizational support.
Why Rustic Pathways Funded This Study
“Rustic Pathways believes in the impact young people can have on climate change and in the work that Dr. Belle Liang’s Purpose Lab at Boston College are doing. The results confirmed what was already known: teens do better when they have purpose. Meaning and impact help students grow.”
What the Research Found
Boston College researchers identified three interconnected outcomes in Climate Leaders Fellowship participants: taking civic action, practicing reflection, and bolstering motivation. These outcomes reinforced each other in a developmental cycle.
Taking Action
All participants designed and completed community-based climate projects, from implementing recycling systems in 46-floor apartment buildings to organizing food drives that collected more than 700 pounds of donations. The program structure provided accountability and deadlines that converted intention into completion. One participant explained that the timeframe “really pushes you to actually do it, rather than just think about it.”
Practicing Reflection
Participants reported a deeper understanding of global issues through exposure to diverse perspectives. Students from five countries shared firsthand observations of climate change impacts in their communities: typhoons in Japan, wealth inequality in the Dominican Republic, and fast fashion’s socioeconomic dimensions in the United States. One participant described the shift: “It’s like you’re putting on glasses when you’re really blind.”
Bolstering Motivation
Completing projects increased participants’ belief in their capacity to create change. Students who succeeded despite challenges, including pushback from building superintendents and logistical hurdles in moving donated food, developed lasting confidence. As one participant noted: “Even though I was only 16-17 there’s still so much I can do.”
Purpose Development Frameworks
The study applied Dr. Belle Liang’s empirically supported 4 P’s of Purpose framework to analyze outcomes. This framework identifies four elements that converge when young people develop sustained purpose.
| Element | Definition | How CLF Delivers |
|---|---|---|
| People | Mentors and role models who inspire purpose | Global peer cohort and program facilitators |
| Propensities | Natural strengths and character traits | Project design matched to student interests |
| Passion | Deep interests that energize action | Climate focus aligned with participant values |
| Prosociality | Desire to contribute beyond oneself | Community-based project requirement |
Only 1 in 5 youth endorse high levels of beyond-the-self purpose. The Climate Leaders Fellowship methodology addresses this gap by providing scaffolding that transforms interest into action.
Four Elements of Purpose
The Purpose Labs curriculum, developed from Dr. Liang’s research, translates the 4 P’s framework into a practical model for students exploring their own purpose.
| Element | Focus |
|---|---|
| Character Strengths | What you are naturally good at |
| Skills | What you can learn to do |
| Core Values | What matters most to you |
| Contribution | How you want to help others |
Purpose differs from goals. Goals can be purely self-serving. Purpose includes both personal meaning and contribution to something larger than oneself.
Why This Matters
For parents: The study provides independent validation that Rustic Pathways programs produce developmental outcomes, not just travel experiences. Academic researchers at Boston College designed and analyzed the study without organizational interference. Rustic Pathways is the only teen travel company with peer-reviewed research on purpose development outcomes.
For educators: The findings connect to established frameworks in positive youth development, experiential learning theory (Kolb), and critical consciousness development (Freire). Structured reflection and peer accountability appear essential to converting service into lasting purpose.
For students: Participants reported clarity about future direction. One stated: “The more I learn about climate change and different perspectives of people in this program, it made me clear that okay, this is the right thing for me. Climate change is my thing.”
Participant Projects
Climate Leaders Fellowship participants designed and implemented community-based climate action projects.
| Participant | Country | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Aria | USA | School-wide bottle drive expanded into monthly club system |
| Eleanor | USA | Surveyed dorm plastic usage and created reusable plate chore system |
| Jana | Malaysia | Food waste campaign with donation drive and guest speaker |
| Sophia | Canada | Food bank collaboration that raised over 700 pounds of food |
| Tia | USA | Fast fashion website with educational resources |
| Hannah | Malaysia | 3 R’s campaign with orphanage donations and pamphlets |
| Luis | Dominican Republic | Recycling bins installed in community bodegas and colmados |
| Lydia | USA | 46-floor apartment building recycling system |
| Naomi | Japan | Gaming and fundraising event focused on typhoons and natural disasters |
Program Partners
Boston College Purpose Lab
Dr. Belle Liang is Professor of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development. Her research focuses on cultivating purpose and belonging as drivers of equity and well-being in schools and workplaces. She has authored over 100 scholarly publications and is co-author of How to Navigate Life: The New Science of Finding Your Way in School, Career, and Beyond. The 4 P’s of Purpose framework has been validated across multiple studies examining how young people develop sustained commitment to meaningful goals.
Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab
Dr. Alice Siu, Associate Director of Stanford’s Deliberative Democracy Lab, helped shape the Climate Leaders Fellowship curriculum to ensure academic rigor. The partnership brings deliberative polling methodology to youth climate education. John Hsu, Director of the Climate Leaders Fellowship, co-created the program with Dr. Siu and Shayne Fitz-Coy.
Full Citation
Lincoln, B., Patel, K.N., Binder, M., Lund, T.J., & Liang, B. (2024). Transforming Service into Civic Purpose: A Qualitative Study of Adolescent Civic Engagement and Purpose Development. Adolescents, 4(1), 90–106. https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents4010007
License: CC BY 4.0 (Open Access)