Community Involvement in the National Youth Service Corps Community Development Service Projects in Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined involvement of communities in the National Youth Service Corps Community Development Service project in Abia state, Nigeria. The study employed purposive and random sampling technique in the selection of a sample size of 180 respondents. Data on community involvement in NYSC CDS were collected with the aid of a questionnaire while the projects executed were gotten from NYSC state secretariat. Data was analysed using frequency, mean and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The major findings show that corps members carried out more of human development projects than infrastructural projects, community members were involved in the NYSC CDS activities but not always = 1.33). Projects executed by corps members had positive and significant relationship with community involvement in the community development activities of the NYSC (r = 0.237, P≤0.01). The study recommended that more awareness and sensitization campaigns need to be done to get people involved in the NYSC CDS development projects, while high level of transparency by corps members in project planning and execution, and community members and corps members should work together in identifying projects and resources for execution of projects.

Keyword: Community involvement, national youth service corps, and community development service