The impact of mobile phones on young people's lives and life chances in sub-Saharan Africa: a three country study to inform policy and practice

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This research, focused on the theme ICTs and development, examines the impact of mobile phones on young people's lives, life chances and well-being in Africa. The rapid diffusion of mobile phone technology offers exciting developmental potential, but concerns about possible negative impacts on poor people are growing. We aim to provide a substantial evidence base to show how mobile phone use is impacting on young people aged 9-25 years in three countries (Ghana, Malawi, South Africa). Utilising a mixed-method, child-centred approach, we will be able to examine impacts on education, health, social networks, job search, employment, participation in social movements and the political process, inter-generational relations, substitution of virtual for physical mobility and migration, and explore the broader implications for poverty trajectories (paying attention to effects of gender, household composition and location on outcomes). We will build on our previous mixed-method, child-centred, child mobility research in 24 sites across Ghana, Malawi and South Africa in 2006-8 which included 70 young people aged 11-19 as co-researchers (e.g. Hampshire et al. 2011a, 2011b; Porter et al., 2010a-e, 2011a-c in press; Robson et al., 2009). That study focused principally on daily physical mobility of 9-18 year olds, but indicated rapidly growing mobile phone adoption by young people and the potential of mobile phones to mediate physical mobility. Consequently, we collected preliminary qualitative data and baseline quantitative data (N=2,967) on phone usage (frequency, ownership, purpose; by gender, age, household composition), and associated background material. We will repeat our 2006-8 study approach in 2012-14, in the same field sites (though not necessarily with the same respondents). Methods include in-depth interviews and group discussions with young people, their parents, teachers and other key informants, and a questionnaire survey in four different settlement types (urban, peri-urban, rural and remote rural) in two agro-ecological zones per country. Through repeat survey and detailed qualitative research in the same sites we will be able to construct a unique comparative dataset on changing patterns of youth phone usage in Africa between 2006-8 and 2012-14 (a critical 6 year period of rapid expansion in adoption and spatial penetration). We will also extend the research focus in 2012-14, a) to also include those aged 19-25 i.e. our older cohort, 6 years on, to capture changing usage and its impacts as many in this age group move into their 20s, and b) to include much more intensive research on the role and impact of mobile phones in young lives. New themes will include use of mobile phones in job search, employment, education, health, political participation, money transfer, broad-band phone internet access, deliberate mobile phone non-use and impacts of usage on empowerment (actual and perceived potential), personal networks (e.g re spatially stretched households), network development, surveillance, inter-generational relations, migration, substitution for physical (including motor) mobility, exploitation/bullying and status issues. This will provide a strong evidence base, enabling us to identify strategies which can help promote the positive elements of mobile phone adoption and minimise potentially negative impacts and to sensitise policy makers and practitioners to these findings across Africa. Throughout, we will take a youth-centred participatory approach, working with young people as co-collaborators (as we did in 2006-8), i.e. including young people (then school-going, now in some cases unemployed) who were among the (70) child researchers trained in the child mobility study in 2006-8. Where available, they will participate in field studies (particularly field pilots), CCGs and the final review workshop. We will also employ academic research assistants (post-graduate students) in their 20s.