A qualitative study on the role of social enterprises in youth empowerment

In this study, the phenomenon of youth empowerment is discussed in the context of social work discipline and social entrepreneurship. The study's main purpose is to try to understand the role of social enterprises as an opportunity for the empowerment of young people. The qualitative research method was preferred in accordance with the purpose of the research, and the data were obtained through in-depth interviews. The working group of the research consists of the founders and team members of social enterprises that produce products and services for young people and are headquartered in Istanbul. In the field research, fifteen participants representing eleven social enterprises were interviewed. In the research, it is seen that social enterprises offer new-generation products and services for young people in education, employment, financial support, publication and content production, volunteering, design of culture and arts events, socialization, and gaining experience. It is also seen that they prioritize acting value-centered in all business processes, acting with the mission of social benefit, and emphasizing solidarity and cooperation. All these features facilitated the participation and belonging of young people as beneficiaries, volunteers, community, and team members. The participants have stated that young people realize themselves with the contribution of the products, services, and environments offered by social enterprises, experience self-confidence development and a sense of worthiness, gain experience by taking authority and responsibility, and finally gain social responsibility and awareness. At the end of the research, it was seen that social enterprises could be an essential model for empowering young people. It is hoped that the research will contribute to youth work.