Youth perceptions on youth livelihood programme as social entrepreneurship for socio-economic empowerment in Gulu District, Northern Uganda

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship plays an important role in fostering youth socio-economic empowerment world over. Uganda Government’s interest is to invest in youth livelihoods through various social entrepreneurship programmes over a period of time. It is generally unclear how youth perceive the impact of these interventions in promoting youth socio-economic empowerment in Gulu District in Acholi, sub-region, Northern Uganda. The study explored the contribution of social entrepreneurship on youth socio-economic empowerment. Through the lenses of Empowerment Theory (2000) and Positive Youth Development Framework, this study targeted youth (18-30 years) who were beneficiaries of government-oriented Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP). Qualitatively, employing exploratory design and a case approach on Youth Interest Groups (YIGs) was pertinent in generating evidence to address the research questions. The findings indicated that social entrepreneurship interventions have the potential to leverage socio-economic empowerment among the youth, but they can do so if certain conditions are met. The failure of most YIGs signify that youth were not fully prepared to take up investments in various sectors. The few benefits registered indicate the prior organisation and commitment towards executing income generating activities. With politics at play, youth were misinformed about the agenda of the intervention, thus developing the greed for cash than expanding and sustaining investments for social change. The findings established that structural and institutional barriers continue to limit YLP interventions. Funding alone is not enough in causing social change among the youth. Thorough and holistic entrepreneurial training incorporating psychosocial support and parental involvement are key in to ensuring social innovation and profitable youth entrepreneurship. Youth should be supported to appreciate and practise social entrepreneurship for sustainable development. The study informs our theoretical and empirical understanding of social entrepreneurship by recognising government entrepreneurship programmes as socially entrepreneurial.