Exploring the relationship between social education and youth engagement in community development

The relationship between social education and youth engagement in community development has been examined to understand how civic knowledge, social attitudes, motivation, and community support influence active participation. In this study, data were collected from 322 individuals aged 15–25 using structured surveys, self-report scales, and community activity tracking tools. The constructs assessed included social education, civic knowledge, youth engagement, social attitudes, motivation, and community support. To evaluate the relationships among these variables and identify predictors of youth engagement, statistical analyses including correlation analysis, regression modeling, and structural path analysis were employed. The findings revealed that social education and community support were the most significant predictors of youth engagement. Youth involvement was found to be strongly impacted by social education (β = 0.65, p < 0.001), while community support had an even greater impact (β = 0.80, p < 0.001). Positive social attitudes and young involvement have also been demonstrated to be significantly influenced by civic knowledge and motivation. Correlation coefficients confirmed substantial relationships between motivation and engagement (r = 0.72), and between civic knowledge and social attitudes (r = 0.66). These findings imply that when strong educational frameworks and welcoming community institutions are in place, youth participation in community projects is more likely. Although the study uses self-reported data, which can create a bias in responses and restricts the generalizability of the results, it offers a rich source of information about the factors that favor youth civic participation. It is recommended that educational programs and policy initiatives be designed to enhance civic education, expand access to community resources, and foster youth leadership, thereby strengthening community development through sustained engagement.