Yeshtila Wondimeneh (PhD)Almaz Wasse2024-12-122024-12-122024-06https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/3861Youth civic engagement has gained considerable attention from government and non-government bodies as a mechanism to mobilize youth talents and capacities in development initiatives and to foster positive youth development by building their self-esteem as informed citizens who are responsible to lead the future. In spite of such initiatives, youth are facing multifaceted challenges that hamper their participation in civic engagement activities (Suchowerska, 2013) (Wray-lake et al., 2012) (Jalata, 2014). With this backdrop, this research tried to assess youth civic engagement and the challenges they encountered in their endeavor by taking participants from selected woredas of Yeka and Bole sub cities in Addis Ababa. A mixed method design was adhered to collect quantitative and qualitative data with a survey questionnaire, which was distributed to 262 youth respondents, and individual interviews conducted with 17 youth and 8 youth experts at the woreda administrations. The data were triangulated during the analysis and interpretation phases where the qualitative data were used to enhance the quantitative data. The results indicated that youth civic engagement was low especially in voting and signing petition, advocacy and reading newspapers and magazines. Though the youth participants were enthusiastic to be engaged, they were discouraged by lack of support and opportunities. The prevailing civic engagement platforms in different settings like schools and government administrations were not designed in terms of the talents, needs and interests of the contemporary youth. Therefore, youth civic engagement opportunities need to be expanded in the community and in the administrative zones. Youth focused engagement programs should be creative and innovative to address and motivate the youth by addressing their interests. Besides, the youth should take part in designing youth programs implemented at the grassroots levels like woreda administrations.enyouthcivic engagementdimensions of civic engagementpositive youth developmentchallengesThesis