Building Africa by its youth: application of the YouthBank model for inclusive decision-making

This study examines how the YouthBank model fosters youth-led inclusive decision-making in Ghana and South Africa, where the model is currently operational within Africa. Guided by Empowerment Theory, Arnstein's Ladder, and the RE-AIM framework, a qualitative multiple-case study was conducted with 22 active YouthBank participants and YouthBank International documents. Data were collected through focus groups, interviews, and document analysis. The findings show that YouthBank strengthens youth confidence, leadership, and visibility in community decision-making, while Adoption was high among youth but limited among adult staff. In South Africa, membership grew by 40%, whereas in Ghana it declined by 33%, highlighting contextual challenges. Although implementation fidelity was rated ‘good,’ long-term sustainability is at risk due to reliance on external funding. The study concludes that the YouthBank model offers a practical framework for empowering African youth in governance and recommends integration into national youth policies and donor programs to enhance Reach, inclusion, and sustainability.