Promoting youth civic engagement using a multi-sector partnership approach: A case study of provincial Thailand

Abstract

Youth civic engagement (YCE) is a positive development method for fostering
skill sets and social mindsets among young people. Previous research has
indicated that supporting YCE requires multisector cooperation to create
a youth development ecosystem. However, little is known of how to effectively
manage such an ecosystem, specifically, in terms of identifying a lead
organization and understanding its role. This study addresses a significant
gap in the literature by examining collaborative models, mechanisms, and
processes of YCE and synthesizing a YCE model. It used a case study design
and took a qualitative research approach. In all, 60 participants were selected,
including youths, government officials, representatives of nongovernmental
organizations, members of local administration associations, community
leaders, and parents through purposive sampling methods. Data were collected
from project reports, participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and focus
group discussions and were analyzed using thematic analysis. A systematic
model to support YCE consists of both social and learning processes.
The social process involves supporting and actualizing youth learning experiences.
The lead organization fulfills three main functions: (1) engagement management,
(2) capital management, and (3) knowledge management. Furthermore,
the learning processes aimed at supporting youth experiences include studying
community issues, creating community development projects, and reflecting
on the learning experience. The results of this research indicate changing
perspectives on supporting youth development from one-off activities to
the connectivity of all sectors to jointly develop youth in a systematic fashion.
It helps the policy sector formulate youth development policies valuing
all provincial-level participants.