Youth participation in local economic development: Evidence from the Amathole District Municipality
Résumé
Background: Globally, youth participation in local economic development (LED) has gained increasing attention as governments seek inclusive and sustainable responses to youth unemployment, poverty and social exclusion. In South Africa, particularly in rural areas, questions remain about how effectively existing LED frameworks enable meaningful youth participation and empowerment. Aim: The study aimed to examine youth participation in LED programmes in the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) to understand the institutional, educational and governance factors shaping meaningful engagement. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in the ADM, focusing on Mbhashe, Ngqushwa and Raymond Mhlaba. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data from a purposively selected sample of 55 participants. Results: Local economic development is poorly understood among youth in the district, limiting their ability to engage meaningfully in local development initiatives. High levels of youth leaving the education system without obtaining a matric certificate further constrain their participation in LED programmes. Moreover, weak monitoring and evaluation systems and perceived political exclusion undermine the empowerment objectives of LED interventions. Conclusion: Enhancing youth participation in LED requires a shift towards more inclusive, empowerment-oriented local development governance. This includes targeted awareness campaigns, strengthened accountability mechanisms and improved coordination across the three spheres of government to address educational attrition as a prerequisite for sustainable youth participation in LED. Contribution: The study contributes empirical and theoretical insights by revealing how limited LED awareness, educational attrition and governance weaknesses constrain youth participation in a rural South African context, while advancing an empowerment-oriented approach to inclusive LED governance.
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