Youth Development in South Africa: Harnessing the Demographic Dividend is a compelling snapshot of thirty years of South Africa’s democratic dispensation and what it has meant for the youth of the country, as well as how its demographic dividend can be harnessed for a fairer society in the future.

Drawing on two decades of interviews and ethnographic fieldwork (1998–2018), this book presents a unique and multi-faceted history of youth development in South Africa through the lens of a South African non-governmental organization (NGO) prominent in youth development from the mid-1980s until 2008. The book weaves history, ethnography, and discourse analysis to contextualize the Joint Enrichment Project (JEP) in the politics and history of South African education. It examines JEP’s role leading up to and during South Africa’s transition to democracy, its work and influence in post-apartheid South Africa, and the continued relevance of its legacy to contemporary initiatives seeking to address youth development and social justice. While JEP repeatedly repositioned itself as an organization, from fighting the effects of apartheid on young people to becoming a potential partner with the new African National Congress (ANC)-led government, its most significant role may have been to reposition people. After tracing JEP’s twenty-year history, the book focuses on the participants in a 1998 Youth Work Scheme, exploring their learning experiences and the program’s immediate impact on their lives. It then revisits these participants twenty years later in 2018, analyzing their life trajectories after JEP and comparing them with the life trajectories of former JEP staff over the same period—shedding light on broader patterns of socio-economic reproduction and change in the country. The book concludes with a discussion of a perennial paradox facing youth development institutions. This book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of education, international development, anthropology, and African studies.

Active political engagement requires the youth of today to begin their journeys now to be leaders of tomorrow. Young individuals are instrumental in providing valuable insight into issues locally as well as on a national and international level. Participation of Young People in Governance Processes in Africa examines the role of young peoples’ involvement in governance processes in Africa and demonstrates how they are engaging in active citizenship. There is an intrinsic value in upholding their right to participate in decisions that affect their daily lives and their communities, and the content within this publication supports this by focusing on topics such as good citizenship, youth empowerment, democratic awareness, political climate, and socio-economic development. It is designed for researchers, academics, policymakers, government officials, and professionals whose interests center on the engagement of youth in active citizenship roles.

"The series is sponsored by the Agence Francaise de Developpement and the World Bank."

Youth Mainstreaming in Development Planning: Transforming Young Lives is a compendium of concepts to initiate dialogue and mobilise consensus around visions and strategies for young people and includes practical tools and techniques that will support initiatives to mainstream youth rights, voices and capabilities across government and other institutions. It is aimed policy-makers and practitioners in all sectors engaged in development planning at all levels.

This handbook examines positive youth development (PYD) in youth and emerging adults from an international perspective. It focuses on large and underrepresented cultural groups across six continents within a strengths-based conception of adolescence that considers all youth as having assets. The volume explores the ways in which developmental assets, when effectively harnessed, empower youth to transition into a productive and resourceful adulthood. The book focuses on PYD across vast geographical regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, North America, and Latin America as well as on strengths and resources for optimal well-being. The handbook addresses the positive development of young people across various cultural contexts to advance research, policy, and practice and inform interventions that foster continued thriving and reduce the chances of compromised youth development. It presents theoretical perspectives and supporting empirical findings to promote a more comprehensive understanding of PYD from an integrated, multidisciplinary, and multinational perspective.