Evaluation of youth involvement in self-help community development project

 

EVALUATION OF YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN SELF-HELP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

All nations in the world do claim that youths are the leaders of tomorrow. This shows that youths are important entities that through their inputs such as   physical strength, mental capabilities and exposure serve as a great tool for improving their communities which make it essential to determine the extent of their involvement in the development of their community. Oladeji and Fapojuwo (2017) assert that youth can be seen to form basic bedrock of the community. Therefore, it is essential to include them in any developmental project or programmes that may be available in the community from the planning stage to the implementation stage through the evaluation stage. 

According to reports from United Nations (2015) and World Bank (20I8), about 50% of the developing world populations are youths estimated at about 1.2 billion aged between 15 and 24 years. Of this number, about one billion live in developing countries. In developing countries, up to 75 percent of the young people aged l8-25years live in rural areas with few primary schools and poorly qualified teachers. Youths in Nigeria include people between the ages of 18 years and 35 years. Older youth especially in poor rural household are matured enough to make major contributions to development in their various communities (Oladeji, 2017). 

Meanwhile, Udensi Daasi, Emah, and Zukkbee (20l3) opined that ‘the role of the youths to accelerate community development programme has been recognized, particularly, in local communities where they have played pivotal role in education, health, environmental sanitation, mass mobilization, religious activities etc. The imperative of youth participation in the process community development programme, considering their numerical strength, is an unlimited window in which a larger and younger workforce who can drive economic development faster and play a significant role in national security, leadership and social development of their communities can be enhanced”. Connectively Oladeji (2017) opined that community development is an opportunity for people living in a community to come together, identify the problems and needs which they share, help them to discover the resources that they already have and the resources they need to source for, promote knowledge, skill, confidence and the capacity to work together; strengthen contacts between members of the community. 

Community development is a process conducted by community members. It is a process where local people cannot only create more jobs, income and infrastructure, but also help their community become able managers of change. Udensi et al. (2013) explain that youth comprises of nearly 30 per cent of the world's population, these large numbers of young people are an opportunity; an investment to their communities. Adesope (2007) noted that youths have been cited for active involvement in community affairs, greater social propensity, faster reaction, time innovative and prowess. Therefore, it becomes necessary to exploit their active features for progressive change in the community through active and meaningful participation in program directed towards their development. The development of community is a dynamic process involving all segments of the locality, including the often-overlooked youth population. As youth are brought into and connected with community development programmes that they have often times been ignored or excluded from, they can participate in actively and contribute in decision making at multiple levels. Nitzberg (2005) argued that youth must be fully engaged and involved in change efforts at the community level if they are to learn to function as effective members of the society. 

Tammy (2013) asserts that youths have strong interests in participating in their community.  When given opportunities to participate, they want to be involved in making changes to improve the neighborhood.  Youth expressed having passion for their community, being acutely aware of neighborhood needs, and having creative solutions to community problems.  In order to become assets to their community, youth need adults and institutions to operate in ways that promote their strengths and embrace youth as both resources and leaders in the community. Therefore, as community development often occurs through programmes, this dissertation proposes a conceptual model to connect youths and community development projects in providing an ideal society.  

In Nigeria, community development is not new either. Tolu and Abe (2011) observed that before the advent of colonial administration, various communities designed development-oriented activities on their own in order to improve their standard of living. The spirit of self-help which forms the present day strategy for community development guided the zeal of the people as they harnessed their local resources and undertook community development projects like building of markets, community halls, road expansion and maintenance, tree planting to check erosion and communal palm fruits harvesting, amongst others. Hence, community development could be regarded as a skilled process which hinges on the approach that controls and uses assets to promote social justice and improves the quality of community life. From the foregoing, self-help community development projects in Nigeria are basically an attempt to address the “felt needs” of the masses by the people and for themselves. 

According to Oduaran (1994) in Mbagwu, et al (2016), self-help community projects are those tangible ventures that the inhabitants of the community embark on, in order to improve the conditions of people residing in that community. For example, Anyanwu (2010) noted that in some south-east Igbo speaking communities, part of the money realized from sale of communal palm fruit harvested was used to sponsor the education of indigent students in the community as well as execute other small and medium scale development projects spanning across a variety of fields such as improving health care delivery services, agriculture, nutrition, communal road maintenance, sanitation and rural cooperative thrift services. One of the basic assumptions of community development herein is that community development activities are all inclusive as it provides opportunity for people to learn and grow thus, ensuring that no segment of the populace is exempted, youths inclusive.   

1.2 Problem of the Study

Despite that large proportion of the Nigeria population comprises of the youth, is not evidently show that they have remarkable contribution to the societal development.  However, series of studies have shown that in most developing countries like Nigeria, community development projects have not been given so much consideration because of the prevalence in social exclusion of youth from the societal plan of action. Youth have long been a marginalized, disenfranchised and powerless population. Youth of color living in poverty have an even greater likelihood, due to persistent classism in our society, of being in the margins. These youth are often viewed as destructors of community, despite evidence of structural disinvestment, and are rarely given opportunities to participate in their communities. 

However, most communities in developing countries like Nigeria are known for embarking on self-help development projects but the sad irony is that they hardly complete most of these projects. Consequently, it appears that their efforts are not commensurate with all they have invested. Evidence from the pilot study by the researcher’s in the study area, showed some abandoned self-help projects. It seems not possible to even ascertain the areas and level of involvement of all stakeholders in the communities especially the youths who are supposed to fast track development activities in their communities. Although, literature showed that community development officers and experts especially in developing countries, like Nigeria, have frowned at the low involvement of youths in community development. So many reasons have been adduced for such anomalies which include: that youths seem not to be considered as matured people and as such have been excluded right from decision making process, planning, implementation, supervision and evaluation of community development projects by community development stakeholders. The stakeholders in question include all parents, community leaders in the community. In some rare occasion, when the youths willingly participated in community development activities, they seem not to be given a free hand to participate in vital issues like, decision making process, project implementation, supervision and evaluation.

Thus, this study aimed at evaluation of youth involvement in self-help community development project in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The major objective of the study is to evaluate youth involvement in self-help community development project in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State

1. To ascertain if there is self-help community development projects embarked upon by communities in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. 

2.  To ascertain if youths are involved in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. 

3. Determine the constraints to youth’s involvement in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State 

4. To proffer solutions to youth’s involvement in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State

1.4 Research Questions 

To achieve the objectives this study, the following research questions are raised:

1. What are the self-help community development projects that can be embarked upon by community youths Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State?

2. Are the youths involved in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State?

3. Are there constraints to youths’ involvement in self-help community development projects in in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State?

4. What are the proffer solutions to youth’s involvement in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State?

1.5 Significance of the Study

It is hoped that the findings of this study would serve as acquaintance to the government and non-governmental organizations the need to make it possible and faster for youth group formation and registration so that their skills are put to productive use. The community would also understand why it is important to contribute to development projects. This because without proper engagement of the youth and education on community contribution towards development projects. 

It is hoped that the findings of this study would enable the community development stakeholders to see the youths as an important segment of the populace and future custodian of the community, who should be given opportunity like others, in all aspects of community development efforts such as, in the planning process, implementation, supervision and evaluation of community projects. 

It is hoped that the findings of this study would enable parents understand the need to make the education of their youths a top priority so that they can actively be involved in community development activities, as this will contribute immensely to civic engagement of youths than parental modeling. 

It is hoped that the findings of this study would enlighten the elders in the community for the need to cooperate and co-exist in a peaceful and friendly environment with youths who are the prospective elders and leaders of tomorrow. 

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study strictly focused on evaluation of youth involvement in self-help community development project in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. Thus, it covered only all the youths in the study area.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Youth: Members of communities whose age is between 18 and 35 years.

Community Development Projects: Activities in the community geared towards a positive change.

Involvement: The active, informed and voluntary participation of people in                 decision-making and the life of their communities.

Community: It is refers to a group of people who live in the same area (such as city, town or neighborhood)

Community Development: this refers to the act or process of growing or causing community to become larger or more advanced.

Evaluation: this is means the process of judging the value or condition of (someone or something, e.g. programme) in a careful and thoughtful way. 

  

CHAPTER TWO 
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical Framework 

The theoretical framework adopted for this study is derived from social learning theory. The founder of social learning theory Albert Bandura (1977) asserted that “Social learning theory approaches the explanation of human behaviour in terms of a continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioural and environmental determinants”. In this theory, the youth are expected to increase their own capabilities and confidence to implement new skills, gain positive attitudes about implementing new skills and experience support from their environment in order to use their new skills because people learn by watching what others do. The theory helps understand human behaviour, emotions and thoughts. It helps us take control of ourselves. The disadvantage is that it cannot explain everything about human nature, it does not explain biological differences. 

  According to Barry Monica (2005), youth is just an additional bridging stage between childhood and adulthood to exemplify the protracted transition brought about by tighter labour market restrictions on school leavers, extended education and often compulsory training. It thus offers a convenient sociological bridge between the widening poles of childhood and adulthood in Western world.  The sociological bridge is dynamic and sometimes too weak to support youth cross over without falling off course. This study is based on the social learning theory because as the youth develop, their needs vary as they involve in the various community activities either consciously or unconsciously that meet their varying demands at each stage of development.

2.2 Community Development   

Community development is the process whereby some citizens mobilize their members so as to map out a strategy of improving their community through collective efforts. Collective efforts mean the ability to have full participation of members to be able to make use of their local resources in order to improve their living condition and standard. But the United Nations defined community development “as the process by which efforts of the people themselves are united with those of the government authorities to improve the economic, social and cultural conditions of the communities to integrate them into the  life of the nation and to enable them to contribute fully to national progress”. 

Therefore, the United Nations definition of community development implies the participation of both the community and the government. Hillman (1960) has however defined community development as the method of helping local communities to become aware of their resources in such a way as to satisfy some of their needs and in so doing, acquire the attitudes, experiences, and cooperative skills for repeating this process using their own initiatives.

Community development according to Ajayi (2015) is a social process by which human beings can become more competent to live with and gain some control over local conditions and the changing world. Bringing the foregoing to bear, there is need to give the main actors due opportunity to gain control over local conditions and to harness resources through effective leadership at the community levels. In the words of Kleiner, Kave, Silverstoem, Bell and Well, (2005) community development has a longer history. And it is as old as human existence, because it seeks to improve man’s standard of life.  Community members who have the capacity to do something to enhance their quality of life are portrayed as having the ability to think, to decide, to plan and to take action in determining their lives. Therefore, in any community development programme both economic and individual growth must be given equal attention to ensure that the process of community development achieves its due balance (continuity and sustainability through adequate participation of all the key players in the community). 

Community development in the words of Gilchrist (2004) helps local community residents to identify unmet needs. It seeks to build capacity by improving skills and knowledge for individual and community as a whole. Central to the idea of community development is that it allows community residents to come together to plan, generate solutions and take action towards developing the social, economic, environmental and cultural aspects of community Hackett (2009). The whole process of community development according to Kuponiyi (2008) emphasizes the importance of participation as a means of strengthening local communities.  Finally, community development occurs when people strengthen the bounds within their neighbourhoods, build social networks, and form their own organizations to provide a long-term capacity for problem solving (Rubin, and Ribin 2001). 

The foregoing shows that every community development projects should be aimed at changing an undesirable situation. Given that the youth population is on the high side in Nigeria communities, programmes directed at them become imperative and with their full, active and frequent participation, capacity for a long term problem solving can be developed. 

2.3 Youth Involvement in Community Development Projects 

The merging of community development and youth development has been at the core of current research literatures. Community development literature emphasizes the importance of citizen participation as a means of strengthening communities (Flora and Fey 2004).  Advocates and practitioners of rural community development also believe that citizens should be meaningfully involved in community decision making (Udensi, et al., 2013). The above imply that, for development to occur there is need for a greater participation of local people in development process which will change the nature and direction of development intervention as well as result in a type of development which will have local people‘s support and recognition . 

Youth involvement according to Cornwall (2010) refers to the participation of youth in responsible, challenging action that meets genuine needs, with opportunities for planning and/or decision-making affecting others in an activity whose impact or consequence is extended to others i.e., outside or beyond the youth participants themselves. Udensi, et al., (2013) notes that, it is only through participation that youth develop skills, build competencies, form aspirations, gain confidence and attain valuable resources. This shows that youth involvement therefore is a product and strategy of sustainable human development. 

Youth comprise nearly 30 per cent of the world's population, these large numbers of young people are an opportunity; an investment to their communities. Youth involvement in community development programmes therefore: 

• Strengthens young people‘s abilities to meet their own subsistence needs; 

• Prevents and reduces vulnerabilities to economic, political and socially unstable environments; 

• Promotes ownership and sustainability of change interventions; 

• Helps gain entry into target communities and build up trust and social capital. (Udensi, et al., 2013)

However, various scholars have clearly points out the efficacy of youth involvement in community development programmes. For instance, Akinbile  Ashimolowo, and Oladoja, (2006) succinctly observed that involvement helps youth in planning and acting together for the satisfaction of their felt needs through organized efforts to acquire skills and the concepts required for their effective participation in the problem solving process. Young people constitute clear assets to community development programmes when they are positively empowered to be active citizens. Supporting and including young people in development processes is critical for several reasons: 

• firstly, youth have experience, knowledge, and ideas that are unique to their situation, enabling them to offer key insights and perspectives on development that adults cannot undertake 

• secondly, in many communities, youth make up the majority of the population; as a result, youth voices can be crucial expressions of overall community needs; 

• and lastly, regardless of their current status, young people are the future custodians of their environments and leaders of their peers. A failure to promote youth development – and roles for youth in community development programmes – will negatively affect countries across the world, whereas engaging youths in community development programmes, such as taking active participation in the project planning and implementation encourages them to learn peaceful means of impacting their communities and the world. 

Youths according to Gilchrist, (2004) have been noted for active involvement in community affairs, greater social propensity, faster reaction, time, innovative and prowess, it becomes necessary to exploit their active features for progressive change in the community through active and meaningful participation in programmes directed towards their development. Youths therefore needs proper harnessing so that they can maintain reliable status quo in their locality. It is easier for them to speak with one voice when they are brought together; that is why youth‘s participation in the various community development programmes will yield progress (Angba, 2009).

 

2.4 Youths and Self-Help Projects in Nigeria 

In an effort to accelerate community development through youths involvement cannot be over emphasized as youths are deeply involved in self-help projects in various local governments in Nigeria especially projects that involve Trade, Commerce, Home Economics, small and meduim term enterprises and agriculture. These self-help projects can be classified into two: Government Aided Projects (GAP) and Non-Government Aided Projects (NGAP). Government aid projects are those executed with the assistance of the government in either finance or material resources while nongovernment aid projects are those executed solely with collective effort of community members.  In recent time, youths have realised the importance of self-help projects in improving the way of life and living standards of their communities. Such self-help is collective efforts of the community to ensure that their efforts are based on their initiatives to achieve maximum benefit with or without the assistance of government.  Some of the contributions of youths in community development projects include: 

1. educating the rural community on the use of improved seeds or farming techniques through the Young Farmers Club; 

2. clearing and draining of  drainages/culverts;

3. sinking of ordinary dug-out wells; 

4. renovation of clinics, health centres/dispensaries in the rural areas; 

5. construction of rural feeder roads;  

6. assistance to the less privileged in the society and; 

7. other community programmes include; Youths clubs enlightening fellow youth and women on HIV/AIDS, Women and Children trafficking, child labour and VVS. (Ayuba, 2012) 

In the view of Mbagwu, (2016)  youths can involve in projects like: in Rural electrification project; water bore-hole Project; construction of community market; construction of drainage facilities; community school renovation project; community recreational facility project; community health centre project; community road construction  project.

  One is now convinced that the youths can contribute much to community development in Nigeria. But the belief still is that, Nigerian communities are characterised by abject poverty, neglect, poor coordination and supervision of rural development programmes. These factors have resulted in the inability of both the government and Youth’s organisations to achieve meaningful rural development through community development. There exist a number of problems militating against the advancement of co-ordinated community development projects in Nigeria.

2.5 Constraints to Youth Involvement in Community Development Projects  

 In the literature, several interrelated factors have been identified as barriers to youth participating in community life; these include societal perceptions, media representations, social research and attitudes of helping professionals.  While these factors impact all youths, youths of colour living in poverty seem to be disproportionally affected by these factors. Adolescence is regarded as a time fraught with problems including pregnancy, crime, violence, substance abuse, and truancy to name a few (Cargo, Grams, Ottoson, Ward, & Green, 2003; Damon, 2004).  During this developmental stage, youth are believed to create more problems than possibilities and are described as incapable and as “incomplete adults” (James, Jenks & Prout, 1998; Ginwright & Cammarota, 2002).  Youth are seen as problems to be managed by society and their skills, abilities and contributions are not valued or respected.  The prevailing thought in youths need to be “fixed” prior to their becoming productive adult citizens (Ginwright, 2003).   

Social workers and other helping professionals contribute to the views of youth as “problems” when they intervene from the perspective of saving, protecting and defending young people from conditions that affect them (Checkoway & Guiterrez, 2006). This de-emphasizes the ability of youth to help them and empowers the professional who is intervening on behalf of the youth or their family (Checkoway Guiterrez, 2006; Sarri & Finn, 1992).  Reinforcing helplessness and a saving mentality discourages youth from taking a more active role in their own lives and perpetuates the belief that young people are unable to act in their own best interest. 

Media representations associate youth with the problems in society by focusing on negative behaviors such as gang activity, involvement in criminal behaviour, drug and alcohol use and violence: this focus creates images of youth as dangerous and evokes a sense of fear of youth in society (Checkoway, 2005; Checkoway & Richards-Schuster, 2004; Damon, 2004; Delaney, Prodigalidad & Sanders, 2002; Checkoway & Gutierrez, 2006).  Youth of color in particular are represented as a group to be feared:   

Teenage super predators are out on the streets and out of control.  Born to be criminals, they are black and brown and listen to gangster rap.  They are jaded and antisocial- teenage crack babies.  Together, these images spell fear in adult minds- fear for the future of democratic institutions and fear of chaos in the streets.  Young people who were once the hope for the future are now its greatest enemy (Young Wisdom Project, 2004, p. 10).   This perspective drives public policies which are developed with the sole aim to control and contain youth so that communities are safer for others in society (Delaney , 2002; Staeheli & Thompson, 1997). 

Social scientists perpetuate problem-centered views of youth with “studies of poverty, racism, and other forces that cause poor housing, broken families, and worsening social conditions, and result in youth violence, drug abuse, and other social pathologies that require intervention” (Checkoway & Guiterrez, 2006, p. 2).  Ginwright and Cammarota (2002) note that between 1985 and 1995 African American and Latino youth were represented in approximately 70% of research articles in leading youth and adolescent scholarly journals.  These journals focused on youth problems, pathologies, as well as primary prevention efforts. Fewer studies have focused on developing an understanding of positive youth behavior, values or attitudes (Delgado & Staples, 2008).    Adultism, behaviors and attitudes based on the assumption that adults are better than young people and therefore entitled to act upon young people without their agreement, is perpetuated in our society by social institutions, laws, customs, and attitudes (Bell, 2000).

The inequality resulting from power imbalances as a result of adultism limits the legitimacy of all youths, but when intersecting with race, class, and gender, it significantly prohibits the prospect of young people in taking part in civic life (Bell, 2000).  Adultism prevents youth from holding power in society, as they are not recognized as possessing inherent value in their own right. Instead, they are regarded as in the process of “becoming” adults (Frankenberg, 1992).  Youths are subjected to deprecating stereotypical descriptions, such as immature, impulsive, self centered, naïve, reckless and silly, which are then accepted as truths by adults in our society.  

These attitudes and practices render youth silent and invisible and thereby unable to act in their own best interest (Roche, 1999).   Because youths are socialized to be subservient to adults, they question their own legitimacy and refrain from speaking out about their needs (Checkoway & Richards-Schuster, 2004).  Subordinate roles have resulted in youth exhibiting: learned helplessness, an “adult know best” attitude; dependence; difficulty making decisions and not trusting their own judgment; cycles of powerlessness; and the inability to trust their own thinking (Love & Phillips, 2007). 

Youths learn to be passive and dependent.  Stoneman (2002) found from years of experience in working with low-income youths that they are conditioned to believe that it does not matter what they do, that it makes no difference and that nobody cares.  They come to believe they may have a negative effect in the world but not a positive one, and they largely view themselves as irrelevant.  Additionally, they believe that society views them as irrelevant.  When youth grow to accept these views, it can be hard for them to transition into roles of responsibility (Kohler, 1981).  This leads to further alienation and being ostracized from the community (Checkoway, 1995).  

These five factors - societal perceptions, media representations, social research, adultism, and attitudes of helping professions - provide insight into how youth are seen in society and the messages we receive about youth.  This social construction of the meaning of youth and their role in society is replicated and reinforced by the social structures created to intervene on behalf of young people.  In order to better understand how youth view themselves in terms of the roles they can have in their community, youth need an opportunity to have their voices heard.  Their views and opinions can illuminate the realities of youth people in our society and can challenge the current discourse.  The critical theoretical framework used in this dissertation is intended to provide youth with a venue to share their thoughts, views, opinions and experiences.

Moreover, Ayuba (2012) submitted that problems associated with community development activities in Nigeria are the same as the problems faced by youth’s development projects. These problems are:- 

1. Lack of adequate funding 

2. Lack of basic equipment 

3. Execution of sub-standard projects 

4. Fraud , dishonesty, and corruption among members/leaders 

5. Politics, rivalries and envy and 

6. Inability to accept change in traditional and cultural practices.

2.6 Empirical Review of the Related Studies

In a study carried out by Oladeji, Olaore, Fapojuwo (2017) on participation of youths in community development in Osun state. The study assessed the level of participation of rural youths in development process in Osun State. A multistage sampling procedure was deployed to collect data from 135 rural youths,   structured questionnaire were used to collect on level of participation, constraints, attitudes and benefits. The finding of the study revealed that self-sufficiency, reduction in rate of unemployment and poverty are among the benefits to be derived from community development programmes. Meanwhile, constraints such as lack of incentives, political, social and economic constraints were related with youth’s level of participation in community development. The study concluded that despite the constraints that youths face in their participation, lack of benefits that are afforded them, if given the opportunity to serve their communities, they are willing and ready to do so to the best of their abilities. 

Similarly, Mbagwu, Mannir, Abba, Ewelum,  & Ezema, (2016 ) carried out in 2016 there study on Youths Involvement in Self-Help Community Development Projects (SHCDPs) in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. The study posed that, if youths are recognized as clear assets in self-help community development projects, the youths with their wealth of experiences and energy can be engaged effectively in meaningful tasks for the improvement of their environment. Therefore, the issue of youth migration or abandonment of projects can be ameliorated. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected on self-help projects embarked on in the communities studied, areas of youths involvement in self-help projects and the constraints encountered by youths. Findings of the study revealed that the Nsukka communities studied embarked on rural electrification, construction of boreholes and water drainage facilities among others; the areas of youths involvement in self-help community projects was low; while youths were not given free hands to be involved in SHCPs and parents not allowing their youths to be involved in SHCPs among others, were constraints to youths involvement in self-help community projects. The study then recommended that community development stakeholders should see the youths as an important segment of the populace and future custodian of the community, who should be given opportunity like others, in all aspects of community development.  Efforts such as, in the planning process, implementation, supervision and evaluation of community projects should also be assigned to the youths.

Thus the reviewed literatures are relatively akin to the currents study; they set the ways to be trended in achieving the aims and objectives of the study.

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

This chapter deals with the procedure used in carrying out this study. It includes research design, population, sample and sampling techniques, instrumentation, methods of data collection and the analytical tools employed in the study.

3.1 Research Design

Descriptive method of survey type will be employed in the study. The design will be attempted to assess youth involvement in self-help community development project in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State.  . Thus, the researcher will try to gather data on the identified research problem without manipulating any of the variables in the study.

3.2 Population of the Study 

The target population for this study comprise all youths in Oyo West Local Government of Oyo State.

3.3 Sample and Sampling Techniques

The study employed simple random sampling technique. Thus, sample for the study consists 50 youths in rural and 50 youths in urban area respectively in Oyo West Local Government of Oyo State. The prepared questionnaire will be administered by the  participants. 

3.4 Research Instruments

The instrument that will be used for the study is “questionnaire”. The questionnaire will be designed and will be addressed by the target population to obtain the necessary information required in achieving the objectives of the study. The Questionnaire will be divided into two sections. Section ‘A’ provided Demographic Information of the respondents and partly explains how the questionnaire is to be filled, while section B focus on research questions and key for the responds are: Strongly Agree=SA, Agree=A, Strongly, Disagree=SD and Disagree=D.

3.5 Validity of the Instruments

The instrument will be subjected to both face and content validity to ensure that they measured what they were expected to measure. Face validity entails looking at questionnaire and deciding if it really measures what it expected to measure. Content validity on the other hand, it has to do with the use of recognized subject matter experts to evaluate whether questionnaire assess defined content.

3.6 Reliability of the Instrument

Pilot test of the instrument will be carried out to observe how the respondents react to both questionnaires; whether the items are clear enough and easily understood, whether there is the need to include more items in certain areas, or whether there are some items to which they would not like to respond, etc. This will help determine the internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaires. A total of 5 youths will be randomly selected as a sample outside the area of study; copies of the instrument will be administered as a small, and the results will be analysed to determining the validity of the instrument.

3.7 Method of Data Collection

Permission will sought from the local government and the participants will enlightened on how to attend to the Questionnaire, the participants thereafter will be asked to complete the questionnaire. Ethical issues of assurances will be given on the basis of confidentiality and discretion of the study. The participants will be informed of the purpose of the study and its seriousness and they will be encouraged to be truthful in their responses. The researcher administered the questionnaire with the assistance of one research assistant that assisted in the distribution and collection of the questionnaires.     

3.8 Methods of Data Analysis

Data collected will be analysed with the use of percentages for each of the items will be calculated and analysed based on respondents responses to each item.

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1 DEMOGRAPHICAL DATA

Table 4.1: Gender distribution of respondents

Gender Frequency Percentage

Male 56 46.70

Female 64 53.30

Total 120 100.00

From table 4.1, it could be inferred that majorities of the participants were females with the percentages 53.3%.  

Table 4.2: Distribution of Respondents based on Level in Academic

Age Range Frequency Percentage

18 - 25 years 22 18.30

26- 33 years 73 60.83

34 and above 25 20.80

Total 120 100.00

From table 4.2, it could be inferred that majorities of the participants were age between 26-33 years with the percentage 60.83%, followed by 34 and above with the percentage 20.80%, then, 18-25 with the percentages 18.30% respectively.  

4.2 Analysis of Research Questions

Table 4.3: Respondents’ responses on self-help community development projects that can be embarked upon by community youths Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State

S/N Items SA (%) A (%)

D (%) SD (%)

1 Involved in Rural electrification project 

  80

(66.67) 20

(16.67) 10

(8.33) 10

(8.33)

2 Water bore-hole Project. 82

(68.33) 24

(20) 7

(5.83) 7

(5.83)

3 Construction of community market. 90

(70) 30

(25) 0

(0) 0

(0)

4 Construction of drainage facilities. 88

(73.33) 12

(10) 8

(6.67) 12

(10)

5 Community school renovation project. 

  77

(64.7) 23

(19.17) 13

(10.83) 7

(5.83)

6 Community Recreational facility project. 

98

(81.67) 10

(8.34) 5

(4.17) 7

(5.83)

7 Community health centre project. 

26

(21.67) 10

(8.34) 14

(11.67) 70

(58.34)

8 Community road construction project. 100

(83.34) 6

(5) 8

(6.66) 6

(5)

9 Donations of books to public Libraries 76

(63.33) 17

(14.17) 5

(4.17) 22

(18.33)

10 Training and tutorials for schools children 89

(74.17) 13

(10.83) 7

(5.83) 11

(9.17)

From table 4.3 above, it is evident that the majority of the respondents strongly agreed and agreed that community projects itemized above can be embarked upon by community youths of Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. 

Table 4.4: Respondents’ responses on youths’ involvement in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State

S/N Items SA (%) A 

(%) D 

(%) SD 

(%)

1 Youths are involved in project planning process 75

(62.5) 18

(15) 10

(8.33) 17

(14.17)

2 Youths participate in determining the type of facilities needed for the projects 68

(56.66) 27

(22.5) 15

(12.5) 10

(8.34)

3 Youths are allow in making suggestions for improvement 90

(74) 11

(9.17) 8

(6.67) 11

(9.17)

4 Youths are Active in supervision of projects so as to achieve desired project objectives. 88

(73.33) 16

(13.33) 8

(6.67) 8

(6.67)

5 Youths are involved in assigning responsibilities to themselves and keeping day-to-day records of work, to ensure success of the project. 6

(5) 13

(10.83) 19

(15.83) 82

(68.33)

From table 4.4 above, it is evident that the majority of the respondents strongly agreed and agreed affirmatively that youths are involved in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State.

Table 4.5: Respondents’ responses on constraints to youths’ involvement in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State

S/N Items SA (%) A (%) D (%) SD (%)

1 Youths are not given free hand to be actively involved in community development projects. 98

(81.67) 10

(8.34) 5

(4.17) 7

(5.83)

2 Lack of commitment of some community leaders to involve the youths leading to out migration of youths. 26

(21.67) 10

(8.34) 14

(11.67) 70

(58.34)

3 Conflict in the community due to corruption and fund mismanagement. 100

(83.34) 6

(5) 8

(6.66) 6

(5)

4 Parents don’t allow their children to be involved in community development projects. 76

(63.33) 17

(14.17) 5

(4.17) 22

(18.33)

5 Low educational background and Lack of clear ideas of what the projects has to offer of majority of the youths. 89

(74.17) 13

(10.83) 7

(5.83) 11

(9.17)

From table 4.5 above, it is evident that the majority of the respondents strongly agreed and agreed that the itemized constraints were affecting youths’ involvement in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. 

4.3 Discussion of Findings

Research question one was on self-help community development projects that can be embarked upon by community youths Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. The findings of this study have revealed that community youths can actively involve in projects like: Involvement in Rural electrification project; construction of water bore-hole Project; construction of community market; construction of drainage facilities; community school renovation project; community recreational facility project; construction of community health centre project; donations of books to public Libraries; and organizing training and tutorials for schools children. These findings correlated with the opinion of Mbagwu, (2016)  who suggested that youths can involve in projects like: in Rural electrification project; water bore-hole Project; construction of community market; construction of drainage facilities; community school renovation project; community recreational facility project; community health centre project; community road construction  project.

Research question two was on youths’ involvement in self-help community development projects in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. The findings of this study have revealed that youths are involved in project planning process; participate in determining the type of facilities needed for the projects; allowed in making suggestions for improvement; active in supervision of projects so as to achieve desired project objectives; involved in assigning responsibilities to themselves and keeping day-to-day records of work, to ensure success of the project. The result of these finding corroborate with the study of Mbagwu, Mannir, Abba, Ewelum,  & Ezema, carried out in 2016 there study on Youths Involvement in Self-Help Community Development Projects (SHCDPs) in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. The study posed that, if youths are recognized as clear assets in self-help community development projects, the youths with their wealth of experiences and energy can be engaged effectively in meaningful tasks for the improvement of their environment.

Research question three was on constraints hindering youths’ active involvements in community projects. From the result of the findings, it was revealed that there are constraints hindering youths’ active involvements in community projects. Challenges like: not given youths free hand to be actively involved in community development projects; lack of commitment of some community leaders to involve the youths leading to out migration of youths; conflict in the community due to corruption and fund mismanagement; Parents do not allow their children to be involved in community development projects; and low educational background and lack of clear ideas of what the projects has to offer of majority of the youths are the grievous constraints to their involvement in community projects. The result similar to the opinion of Bell, (2000) the inequality resulting from power imbalances as a result of adultism limits the legitimacy of all youths, but when intersecting with race, class, and gender, it significantly prohibits the prospect of young people in taking part in civic life. Also, tallied with Ayuba (2012) submission that problems associated with community development activities in Nigeria are the same as the problems faced by youth’s development projects. These problems are:- lack of adequate funding; lack of basic equipment; execution of sub-standard projects; fraud, dishonesty, and corruption among members/leaders; politics, rivalries and envy and inability to accept change in traditional and cultural practices.

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of the major findings, implications, limitations; it also puts forth the conclusion made based on the finding. It is the hope of the researcher that useful recommendations made in the study will be implemented by the concerned personalities on youth involvement in self-help community development project in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State 

5.1 Summary of the Study

The study focused on assessment youth involvement in self-help community development project in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. In this study all the necessary literatures have been reviewed. Both theoretical, conceptual and empirical studies have been reviewed respectively. 

The study was structured into five chapters. Chapter one gave the background to the study, statement of the problem, research questions significance of the study, scope of the study, and definition of terms were given within the chapter. Chapter two consisted of the review of the related literatures to the study. Chapter three gave the methodology used in study. The result and discussion of the findings from the analyzed data were presented in chapter four; this chapter is also made up of the description of the findings, the opinion of the respondents on the examined content. 

In all, three research questions were raised and analysed. From the results, it was revealed that youth are involved in self-help community development project in Oyo West local government area, of Oyo State. The result showed the extent to which they involve in projects like: Involvement in Rural electrification project; construction of water bore-hole Project; construction of community market; construction of drainage facilities; community school renovation project; community recreational facility project; construction of community health centre project; donations of books to public Libraries; and organizing training and tutorials for schools children. Also, the findings of this study have revealed that youths are involved in project planning process; participate in determining the type of facilities needed for the projects; allowed in making suggestions for improvement; active in supervision of projects so as to achieve desired project objectives; involved in assigning responsibilities to themselves and keeping day-to-day records of work, to ensure success of the project. Although, there are constraints hindering youths’ active involvements in community development projects, challenges like: not given youths free hand to be actively involved in community development projects; lack of commitment of some community leaders to involve the youths leading to out migration of youths; conflict in the community due to corruption and fund mismanagement; Parents do not allow their children to be involved in community development projects; and low educational background and lack of clear ideas of what the projects has to offer of majority of the youths are the grievous constraints to their involvement in community projects

5.2 Conclusion

  There is common wise thought that says “a discovered problem is half solved, since the findings of this study have revealed that youths have roles to be played in community development projects and there are some efforts to put in place in achieving the roles, as well the constraints hindering the youths’ involvement in community development projects. Therefore, youths have a great role to play in community development in order to accelerate rural development. Youths formation of community based organisations and self-help projects does not necessarily mean it will lead to the achievement of the goals of rural and community development unless the community is very much interested in development. Hence, communities should change their negative perception about youths, they can be harnessed, made to feel free and become more active contributors to solving community problems and also help to build a sustained community.

5.3 Recommendations

Based on these findings, the researchers made the following recommendations that:

(1) Community development stakeholders should see the youths as an important segment of the populace and future custodian of the community, who should be given opportunity like others, in all aspects of community development efforts such as, in the planning process, implementation, supervision and evaluation of community projects. (2) Parents should make the education of their youths a top priority so that they can actively be involved in community development activities, as this will contribute immensely to civic engagement of youths than parental modeling. 

(3) The elders in the community should cooperate and co-exist in a peaceful and friendly environment with youths who are the prospective elders and leaders of tomorrow. 

(4) Government and non-governmental organizations should also assist various communities in their self-help development projects like water borehole project, to enable them improve their standard of living.

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