Exploring rural youth’s perceptions and experiences of occupational engagement and its influences on mental health in Pofadder, Northern Cape
| dc.contributor.author | Jonker, Elizabeth | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-10-03T10:15:15Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-10-03T10:15:15Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Occupational engagement, mental health and well-being are inextricably linked. When youth engage in meaningful activities, it can promote mental health and well-being (Hammell, 2017). Conversely, a lack of occupational engagement can negatively affect mental health, and contribute to feelings of boredom, frustration and depression (Majee et al., 2017). Youth embody the future of a country, holding the key to positive change and innovation. As such, it is important that they are supported and empowered and that their potential is recognised and harnessed. For the mental health and well-being of youth, they must have occupational choice and opportunities for occupational engagement. However, occupational choice and engagement are influenced by a range of factors, making it different for rural youth in South Africa where access to resources, infrastructure, and opportunities are far more abundant. This study sought to shed light on the diverse factors influencing the occupational choice and engagement of rural youth and its subsequent influence on their mental health. Africa is currently the demographically youngest region in the world, with 60% of the population under the age of 25 years (Mpemba & Munyati, 2023). In South Africa, approximately 35% of the country's population consists of individuals aged 15 to 34 years (Statistics South Africa, 2019), indicating that youth form a substantial part of the population. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10566/21015 | |
| dc.publisher | University of the Western Cape | |
| dc.subject | Experience | |
| dc.subject | Mental health | |
| dc.subject | Occupational choice | |
| dc.subject | Occupational injustice | |
| dc.title | Exploring rural youth’s perceptions and experiences of occupational engagement and its influences on mental health in Pofadder, Northern Cape | |
| dc.type | Thesis |