Youth Civic Engagement in India: A Case in Point

The article argues that civic engagement and volunteering experiences are potent avenues for propelling positive youth development. Against the backdrop of a ‘demographic dividend’, the article highlights the underutilised potentials of Indian youth in civic participation and volunteering activities. By analysing the experiences of Aakash, a volunteer with an animal rescue and protection organisation in Vadodara, the article focuses on enhanced competencies and shifts in self-perception, accompanied by changes in social–moral thinking that came about due to his civic engagement (animal protection and rescue) activities. The impact of volunteering on others in the immediate context and the community at large is discussed.