Motivating Factors and Barriers

In general, youth participation, particularly among urban youth, is shaped by a combination of factors such as neighbourhood safety, adult support and opportunities to participate in meaningful decision-making. Interestingly, neighbourhood safety can have both positive and negative effects. On the one hand, concerns about safety often motivate young people to participate in KRT activities. High crime rates in certain urban areas can sometimes raise awareness among youth and encourage them to take part in community initiatives to protect their neighbourhoods.

However, when feelings of insecurity become too intense, the opposite effect may occur. Excessive fear can leave young people feeling powerless, leading them to withdraw and disengage from community life. In addition, youth need support from adults who are non-judgemental, open-minded and willing to share leadership responsibilities.

Practical Strategies to Increase Youth Participation

To address these challenges and achieve the target of 30% youth participation, several core strategies need to be implemented proactively. First, youth-friendly physical spaces should be created to allow young people to gather comfortably, while social media and messaging applications can be used to facilitate more flexible activity planning. In addition, young people should not be treated merely as a source of labour for event preparations; instead, they should be given meaningful roles on committees, with opportunities to plan and make decisions about their own programmes.

Next, the focus of programmes should shift from formal meetings to activities that are more appealing to young people, such as sports, e-sports, digital skills workshops and social entrepreneurship projects that can directly address local issues. In addition, a mentoring system between adults and youth should be established, in which experienced KRT leaders guide younger members without exercising complete control, thereby facilitating a gradual transition of leadership responsibilities.

Finally, meaningful recognition and incentives are also important for sustaining youth participation. These may include certificates of appreciation, community credit points or leadership training opportunities that can add value to their résumés and support their career development.

Conclusion

Young people, particularly those in urban areas, are not necessarily indifferent. They are more likely to participate in neighbourhood initiatives when they feel safe, receive support from adults and are given meaningful roles. Therefore, for authorities seeking to rejuvenate KRT, the key is not simply to hold more formal meetings. Instead, investing in youth-friendly spaces, activities that reflect young people's interests, and genuine trust by giving them opportunities to lead are among the most strategic steps that can be taken.

Date of Input: 18/08/2026 | Updated: 18/08/2026 | alyarahim