Youth Engagement in Cooperatives: Perceptions, Barriers, and Opportunities for Innovation

Abstract

Youth involvement in cooperatives is an important issue but is still underexplored in the context of inclusive economic and social development. This research aims to explore the perception of youth towards cooperatives, identify obstacles that hinder their participation, and find innovation opportunities to revitalize the cooperative movement. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, this study involved interviews, observations, and document analysis of 50 youth from 10 cooperatives in three provinces in Indonesia. Thematic analysis with the help of NVivo 14 showed that the majority of youth view cooperatives as an outdated entity, offering fewer career opportunities, and lack of innovation. However, a small minority see cooperatives as a potential platform for social entrepreneurship and community innovation. The main obstacles identified include rigid organizational structures, lack of career development programs, and weak communication regarding the modern relevance of cooperatives. This study recommends that cooperatives carry out structural and strategic reforms through the integration of digital innovations, strengthening entrepreneurship programs, and implementing a youth-centered participation model. This transformation is important not only to attract the interest of the younger generation, but also to maintain the sustainability and relevance of cooperatives in an era of rapid socio-economic change.