THE ROLE OF YOUTHS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 

Abstract

This study is a determination of the level of participation of youth in community development in Oredo Local Government Area. The main objectives of the study were to examine the extent to which the youth have and can still contribute their strength meaningfully to the development of their communities. Also the study tried to find out the modalities of mobilizing the youths to take part actively in community self-help. Philosophy which was helped to reduce the high rate of youth’s migration to urban areas for search of social amenities. The work will evaluate the youth contributions so far towards the development of this area. Four research questions and four null hypotheses were posed and formulated respectively to guide the study. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The related literature to the study was reviewed under four main headings namely: conceptual framework, theoretical framework, Review of related empirical studies and summary of literature review. This study used a descriptive survey research design. A total of 500 registered youth members were used as sample size for the study. A 32 item questionnaire modeled on a four point rating scale was used to collect data for the study. Three experts validated the instrument. The instrument was trial tested and the reliability coefficient using Cronbach’s Alpha were 0.83 for cluster A, 0.70 for cluster B, 0.87 for cluster C and 0.68 for cluster D with an overall reliability coefficient of .83 respectively. The Research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation while the null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using t-test. The results of the study revealed among others that the youth organizations to a great extent participate in the planning and implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state. Poor leadership, inadequate fund raising, mismanagement of funds, the leaders, low level of education of youths, lack of commitment in project initiative by some youths, lack of empowerment by the community members and inadequate monitoring of projects for successful implementation are the factors that affect the participation of youth organizations in planning and implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state. The result also revealed that there is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the extent youth organizations participate in the planning of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state. The implications of the above findings were examined and it was recommended among other things that state government should strengthen the role of youth organizations using appropriate legislative provisions so that youth organizations would be seen as partners in sustainable community development and the overall progress of the society.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Statement of the Problem

Purpose of the Study

Significance of the Study

Research Questions

Research Hypotheses

Scope of the Study

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

Conceptual Framework

Concept of Youth Organization

Concept of Participation

Concept of Community Development

Theoretical Framework

Democratic Theory

Role Theory

Maslow’s Theory of Needs

Self-Efficacy Theory

Review of Related Empirical Studies

Summary of Literature Review

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD

Design of the Study

Population of the Study

Sample and Sampling Technique

Instrument for data collection

Validation of the Instrument

Reliability of the Instrument

Procedure for Data Collection

Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Analysis of Research Questions

Test of Hypothesis

Summary of Findings

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION,

IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

Discussion of Findings

Conclusion

Implication of the Study

Recommendation

Limitation of the Study

Suggestion for further study

Summary of the study

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

   INTRODUCTION

The aim of rural development is to get rid of poverty. Youth involvement in community development programme has been as long as man’s existence. Their contribution towards community development in a given area like Oredo Local Government has much to be desired. It is generally accepted in most developing countries like Nigeria, that government alone cannot develop all the rural communities as at when due. Apart from leadership, there are other things that are against the attainment of a meaningful, progressive and just society that we have been longing for but failed to respond decisively. Although these are few books that cover the role of youth in community development or nation building. This study will treat all aspects of the topic as evidence to show whether or not youths played effective contributive role in the development of rural areas Oredo Local Government is not an exception, this is because they need the help or support of the youths to assist the nation in achieving self sufficiency in areas like food production and the realization of structural transformation of the Agricultural sector (Doorbus, 2001).

It is a common thing that “youths are the leaders of tomorrow”, it could therefore be seen that the contributions of youths to rural development is very important, hence people look up to the youths for active leadership, self reliance, honesty, selfless service, industrial knowledge, patriotism and discipline. Generally, youths constitute about 2/3 (two-third) of the active population, by youth we mean those young active and powerful or dynamic people in the society under the ages of forty. They have some qualities, which includes responsibility to challenges (Oadire, 2010).

The community does show that government alone cannot provide all the development needed by themselves,, as a result the communities are to mobilize themselves by using the resources at their disposal to provide amenities through self-help and popular participation; we cannot over emphasize the effect of youth class or cooperative organization in carrying out such a task, no wonder BEJA says “there is hope that our country will still grow and survive into a great nation despite the ills of our times and that hope is in the youths”.

The researcher will attempt to state the energetic nature of youth class in Oredo Local Government. The hope of the rural communities is to have access to the provision of the basic social amenities. But the way of achieving this hope cannot be guaranteed by the government alone, but through the help or contribution of the rural developers, moreover no community should see rural development as the sole responsibility of the community development officers, in order not to experience law level development, unemployment, starvation and poor health care, government can no longer or finds it difficult to satisfy all these needs due to the enormity of the task on her, hence from time immemorial, youths have been assisting the elders in the development of their areas. Their participation is very essential and this further boosts national development.

Background to the study

The people: Majority of the people that stay within Oredo Local Government area are from Edo (Bini), though there are people from other parts of the State being among the indigenes. The number of people residing there is relatively more compared to other local government due to development that has come to the place.

The culture of the people is rich and unadulterated, which has its origin in Edo (Bini). It has its statutes, morals, beliefs and values, social, religious and political institution. There are also ancestral cults to which every person is born into; to deny them is to deny one’s birth right and citizenship. Their cultural values also affect their marriage, ceremonies, new yam festivals, burial ceremonies and their cultural dances.

Their main occupation they practice is farming and palm wine tapping, crops grown there includes yam, groundnut, etc. Though there are many white-colar jobs due to development of the area but their main occupation is farming.

The Youth: The youth have a storage formation where they come together and talk on pressing issues concerning the community. They help in keeping the law of the land and try to influence the decision of the leaders through their reactions.

Statement of research problem

This study is to investigate the various problems in Oredo Local Government and how the youth can be involved in the developmental process in their community. This study will also focus attention on how the result of the investigation could be applied to the problems on ground. An attempt would be made to identify the immediate and remote causes of the problem.

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of the study was to assess youth participation  in planning and implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state.

The specific purposes of the study are;

1. to ascertain the extent of youth participation in the planning of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state.
2. to determine the extent of youth participation in the implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state.
3. to examine the factors that affect youth participation in planning and implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state.
4. to determine the strategies for improving participation of youth organizations’ in the planning and implementation of community development projects in Edo

State.

Significance of the Study

The researcher believes that this study is of great importance. It will be of good use to know the degree of youth involvement in self help projects. This study will make people know that youth possess productive talent ability of which they need to be harnessed for the execution of community development projects.

It is significant because most teachings and learning are carried out today by youths whose studies are focused on involvement in developmental process such as adult literacy programme to discipline, reading, writing among illiterates in the community.

The result of this study is likely to provide useful data for exports in youth research.

Limitations of the study

There are many limitations encountered in the process of gathering the necessary information for this research work. Thus;

Information was obtained through interviews during which some of the respondents felt reluctant to answer some questions relating to their activities in the area where they lived.

There was inadequate finance to carry out most of the work expected to be done during the data collection.

Another problem was time wasted where information were hardly retrieved.

Time was yet another factor that posed a set back to information gathering for this research work, since it was done along side with normal school lectures, as a result, time was too short for comprehensive collection of data.

Lack of sufficient literature highlighting youth activities in the area of rural development was another limitation.

Research Questions

The following research questions will guide this study;

• To what extent do the youth organizations participate in the planning of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state?
• To what extent do the youth organizations participate in the implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state?
• What are the factors that affect youth participation in planning     and implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state?
• What are strategies for improving the participation of youth organizations in planning and implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state?

 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses are formulated to guide this study. They will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

HO₁: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the extent of   youth organizations participation in the planning of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state.

HO₂: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the extent of youth participation  in the implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state.

HO₃: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the factors that affect youth participation  in planning and implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state.

HO₄: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the strategies for improving the participation of youth organizations in the planning and implementation of community development projects in Oredo L.G.A, Edo state.

Scope of the Study

For the purpose of proper understanding, this study shall have its main focus on the rural areas (communities) within the shores of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.

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