Youth Clubs: A Catalyst for Rural Community Development in Tripura

This research investigates the role of youth clubs in rural community development of Gomati District, Tripura. It aims to identify the youth clubs' functions, programmes, challenges, and opportunities. It is found that youth clubs are engaged with diverse roles including fostering civic engagement, enhancing social cohesion, and nurturing leadership etc. Despite these efforts, the clubs face significant challenges on different fronts. The literature indicates that youth clubs are more community-centered and, locality-specific yet are unable to influence community people by their activities. Accordingly, the study formulated objectives that address the identified gaps and selected youth clubs that were actively working for rural development during 2016-2020 for data collection. Additionally, the effectiveness of the initiatives undertaken by the youth clubs was evaluated through community perception. The findings of the study will benefit the students, educators, community organizers, policymakers, and NGOs interested in leveraging youth potential in rural communities.