Attitude and Participation of Youth Corp Members in Community Development Service in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Abstract
The study assessed the attitude and participation levels of youth corp members in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, in the Community Development Service (CDS) scheme. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 180 youth corps members from nine Local Government Areas across the state, with data collected through a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, mean scores, and factor analysis. Findings revealed that 54.4% of the respondents were male, with the majority aged between 25 and 30 years, and 81.7% were single. The respondents’ level of participation in CDS was high with the cluster mean of 2.83 and the most participated CDS activities included Environmental Sanitation Campaigns, educational Programs for Local Communities and Skill Acquisition and Training, while participation in Infrastructure Development and Environmental Sanitation Campaigns were the lower. Attitudes toward CDS were generally favorable (cluster mean of 3.08 ), with corps members recognizing its role in leadership development and personal growth. Participation levels ranged from low to high depending on resource availability, community support, and personal interest. The study concluded that while attitudes were favorable and the level of participation in CDS activities was high. Resource constraints and organizational inefficiencies limited full engagement. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the government and NYSC officials should enhance resource availability to facilitate more effective community development services.
References
Abdullahi, M., & Chikaji, A. (2016). Issues in community development service scheme of Nigeria's National Youth Service Corps and its relevance to community development. International Journal of Research in Science & Engineering 2(1), 1–7. Abdullahi, M., Ehiyamen, O., Cheri, L., & Chikaji, A. (2016). Analysis of the implementation of community development service projects of National Youth Service Corps: Channels and hindrances. Ilorin Journal of Administration and Development, University of Ilorin 2(2), 123–136. Adesope, O., Jike-Wai, O., & Opurum, L. C. (2013). Analysis of corp members' perception and attitude towards community development service of the Nigeria NYSC in Abia State. Greener Journal of Social Sciences, 3(511), 511–518. Arigbo, P. O., Onuekwusi, G. C., Ikoro, D. E., & Adeogun, T. F. (2019). Community involvement in the National Youth Service Corps community development service projects in Abia State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 23(4), 65-75 Arikan, G., & Ben-Nun Bloom, P. (2019). "I was hungry and you gave me food": Religiosity and attitudes toward redistribution. PLOS One, 14(3), 1-12 Aljumah, A. (2023). The impact of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation on job satisfaction: The mediating role of transactional leadership. Cogent Business & Management, 10(3), 24-37 Arubayi, D. O. (2015). Youth in development: Understanding the contributions of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to Nigeria’s national development. PhD Thesis. University of Manchester Ayodele, M., Obor, D., & Okafor, E. (2015). Factors and challenges affecting work performance of National Youth Corps members in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria. The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 13(2), 90-111 Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211. Babatunde, R., Adedotun, S., Ogundahunsi, D., Ibrahim, W., & Akinbosoye, B. (2022). Appraisal of environmental sanitation practices in selected markets in Akure, Nigeria. Analele Universit??ii din Oradea, Seria Geografie, 32, 16–25. Bouabida, K., Chaves, B. G., & Anane, E. (2023). Challenges and barriers to HIV care engagement and care cascade: A viewpoint. Frontiers in Reproductive Health, 5, 1-4 Ekpenyong, D. O. (2019). Community-based education skills acquisition programmes and unemployment reduction among youths in Cross River State, Nigeria. Prestige Journal of Education, 2(1), 216-227 Etim, N., & Thompson, D. (2021). Religious institutions and poverty reduction: Evidence from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Journal La Sociale, 2, 31–38. Etuk, U., Okorie, N., & Umoren, E. (2018). Analysis of youth participation in community development activities of West Africa. Nigerian Journal of Rural Sociology, Rural Sociological Association of Nigeria, 18(1), 79–89. Etuk, U. R & Umoh, I (2014) Adoption of Pro-Vitamin A Cassava Technology among cassava farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Agriculture, Food and Environment. 10(4) :135- 138 Fanen, A. (2021). National Youth Service Corps and Education in Nigeria. Research Project. Federal University of Lafia Fareo, O. (2020). Perception of National Youth Service Corps members towards community development service in Adamawa State, Nigeria. EAS Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 146–150. Gbenga, A., Aimiomode, A., Seluman, I., & Inu, J. (2023). An assessment of the effectiveness of mass media campaigns in promoting environmental sustainability in Nigeria. Journal of Advanced Research and Multidisciplinary Studies 3(78), 78–95. Hardin-Fanning, F., & Ricks, J. M. (2017). Attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control factors influencing participation in a cooking skills program in rural Central Appalachia. Global Health Promotion, 24(4), 43–52. Haldane, V., Chuah, F. L. H., Srivastava, A., Singh, S. R., Koh, G. C. H., Seng, C. K., & Legido- Quigley, H. (2019). Community participation in health services development, implementation, and evaluation: A systematic review of empowerment, health, community, and process outcomes. PLOS One, 14(5), 1 - 9 Lamidi, K. O., Kazibwe, S., & Egbewole, I. K. (2018). Community development service in Nigeria: An empirical role of NYSC scheme in Southwest Geo-Political Zone. Journal of Nation-building & Policy Studies, 7(2), 15 - 27 Kan, M., & Fabrigar, L. (2017). Theory of planned behavior. In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer. pp. 1-8 Kolawole, O., & OD. (2012). Is literacy key to community development? Analyzing two groups of adults' involvement in development projects in northern Nigeria. Pula: Botswana Journal of African Studies, 26, 221-241. La Barbera, F., & Ajzen, I. (2021). Moderating role of perceived behavioral control in the theory of planned behavior: A preregistered study. Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology, 5(1), 35-45 Lamidi, K., Benson, K., & Adisa, A. (2018). Challenges of NYSC community development service: Empirical evidences from Southwestern Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Development, 11(1), 13-26 Morton, M., & Montgomery, P. (2011). Youth empowerment programs for improving self-efficacy and self-esteem of adolescents. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 7(5), 1-80. Muogbo, U., Eze, S., & Obananya, C. (2021). Skill acquisition as tool for solving youth restiveness and unemployment in Nigeria: The role of NYSC. International Journal of Management & Entrepreneurship Research, 3(4), 161-174. Ngowari, R. (2022). Community development in Nigeria: History, current strategies, and its future as a social work method. The Journal of Development Administration, 6(4), 133-141. Nwachukwu, C. E., Olufunmilayo, E. O., Chiroma, G. B., (2023). Perception of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) among corps medical doctors in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study. BMC Medical Education, 23(162), 1-9 Odoom, D., Annor-Frempong, F., Akaba, S., Agyepong, L., Mensah, A., & Obeng-Baah, J. (2021). The challenge of participation in community development activities in rural Ghana: Implications for effective development communication. Tanzania Journal of Development Studies, 19(1), 1-31. Okafor, C., & Ani, K. (2014). The National Youth Service Corps programme and growing security threat in Nigeria. Africa's Public Service Delivery and Performance Review, 2(2), 149-158. Okafor, P., & Owolade, A. (2023). Appraisal of the National Youth Service Corps involvement in community development in selected local government areas in Oyo State, Nigeria. American Journal of Public Policy and Administration, 8(2), 30-60. Owan, V., Emanghe, E., Akpan, S., Alawa, D., Ebuara, V., Abanyam, V., Owan, M., Unimna, F., & Ikutal, A. (2022). An evaluation of the three measurable cardinal objectives of the National Youth Service Corps programme: A survey dataset. F1000Research, 11(652), 1- 26 Oyinloye, O. (2016). Career guidance for youth empowerment and sustainable development. International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education, 7(4), 2869-2873. Udende, P., & Abdulrauf-Salau, A. (2012). National Youth Service Corps scheme and the quest for national unity and development: A public relations perspective. Research Project. University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria Udoma, N., Umoh, E., & Etuk, U. R. (2024). Factors motivating youth in community development volunteerism in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Research, 10(6), 208-218. Udoma, N, Etuk U R and Etim, S M (2023) Analysis of Youth Volunteerism in Community Development in Akwa Ibom State. In: Ekerette B. I Umoh, G. S, Etuk, U. R. and Akpan, O. U (Editors) Agricultural Extension - An Agenda Setting Disc
More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH
Building National Analytics Capacity: Advances and Future Pathways
Author: Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu
Root-Cause and Thematic Analysis for Major Incident Management: A Review
Author: Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu
Data-Quality and Single-Source-Of-Truth Frameworks for Inter- Agency Reporting: A Review
Author: Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu
Human-In-The-Loop Decision Systems: Advances and Future Directions
Author: Funmilayo Ashore-Onisemo, Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey, Okwesa,
Roles of Oil Subsidy Removal on Transportation Cost and Water Factory in Cross River South, Nigeria
Author: Onwuzurike Peter Tobechi, Owoh Akwa Owoh, Unoh Grace Inyang, Umaru Musa