BEYOND ATTENDANCE: FORMS AND LEVELS OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN MAGU DISTRICT, TANZANIA

This article examines the forms and levels of youth participation in community development in Lutale Ward, Magu District, Mwanza Region, Tanzania. It draws on the first objective of a broader study on youth participation, focusing on how young people engage in formal and informal community development activities. The study adopted a qualitative phenomenological design. Thirty participants were purposively selected: 24 youth, two village chairpersons, two elders, one Ward Executive Officer and one representative of a youth focused nongovernmental organisation. Data were collected through focus group discussions with youth and semi structured interviews with key informants, then analysed thematically. Findings show that youth participation was commonly expressed through attendance at village meetings and the provision of labour for community projects. However, attendance often did not translate into voice, and youth were rarely involved in planning, budgeting, resource allocation or priority setting. Formal youth representation was sometimes tokenistic, while informal youth groups and peer networks provided more meaningful opportunities for discussion and shared decision making. Young women faced additional barriers to being heard. The article argues that youth participation should be assessed not only by their presence or physical contribution, but also by the extent to which they influence decisions. It recommends strengthening youth voice in village planning and building links between effective informal youth groups and formal governance structures.