Enhancing Youth Participation in Local Government

COMPACT has identified the urgent need to prioritise youth participation in local government. Young people are discouraged with municipalities and face numerous challenges within their communities, including high levels of unemployment and poverty. Decisions taken by municipalities have a substantial impact on their lives and their unique perspectives on development issues should be given a platform at the local level. COMPACT and Activate! Change Drivers have developed a pamphlet focused on opportunities for participation and engagement in municipal issues, aimed at young people.

 

In April 2025 COMPACT hosted a webinar on the topic of Enhancing Youth Participation in Local Government in South Africa, with inputs on different tools and programmes which seek to improve youth involvement in local government in South Africa. Speakers included representatives from Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute (ASRI) , Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) , South African Cities Network (SACN) and Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). Over 150 participants engaged in the webinar, including youth leaders, officials, councillors, and civil society representatives.

 

In May 2025, COMPACT was invited to present at the Activate! Change Drivers IDP Debrief Webinar, which focused on youth engagement in Integrated Development Planning (IDP) processes. The session brought together youth activators, civic educators, and governance stakeholders to reflect on recent IDP engagements and to strategise for future inclusion. In November 2025 COMPACT was invited to be part of an Activate! podcast discussion addressing youth disillusionment and economic exclusion. The episode challenged surface- level participation and reimagined what real civic engagement could look like for South African youth.

Sign Up Now