YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM AND SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE IN USELU COMMUNITY - Project Topics & Materials - Gross Archive
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM AND SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE IN USELU COMMUNITY
ABSTRACTTraditional techniques used in social work have become obsolete and ineffective in meeting the contemporary needs of the dynamic population. This has led to the development of new social work techniques that seek to achieve social transformation among the youth. These innovations which are being implemented by youth empowerment organizations are important not only to the social workers that utilize them and their clients but also for the upcoming professionals and institutions that provide services to the youth.
The overall objective of this paper is to unravel the emerging innovative social work techniques applied by youth empowerment organizations that seek to achieve social transformation among the youth. This study reviewed different articles related to social work techniques, social work methods, social work intervention books, youth empowerment programs, social innovations, and existing local and international literature using different material from related fields to get rich information.
This study recommends documentation of emerging social work interventions in youth empowerment and development programs, sharing of information and utilization on the new techniques and methodologies among social workers working with the youth. Social workers need to be trained on how to utilize social research to enhance their capacity in technique development, and organizing regular seminars and workshops where social workers can share and learn more about the new and emerging social work interventions.
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background to the Study -
1.2 Statement of the Problem - -
1.3 Objective of the Study -
1.5 Research Questions -
1.5 Significance of Study -
1.6 Definition of Terms -
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Conceptual Clarification -
2.1.1 Youth -
2.1.2 Unemployment among Youth -
2.1.3 Unemployment among Youth: The Nigerian Situation -
2.1.4 Empowerment -
2.1.5 Youth Empowerment - -
2.1.6 Types of Empowerment
2.1.7 Importance of Youth Empowerment - -
2.1.8 Youth Empowerment: Implication for Social Work -
2.1.9 Importance of Social Work to Youth Empowerment -
2.2 Theoretical Perspective- -
2.2.1 Humanistic Theory
2.2.2 Social System Theory -
2.2.3 Psychosocial Theory - -
2.2.4 Advocacy Theory - -
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODLOGY
3.1 Introduction -
3.2 Research Design - -
3.3 Population of the Study -
3.4 Sample Technique --
3.5 Sample Size -
3.6 Research Instrument -
3.7 Method of Data Analysis -
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION /ANALYSIS AND DISCUSION OF FINDINGS
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Analysis of Respondents Characteristics -
4.2 Analysis of Research, Presentation and Discussion of Findings -
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, LIMITATIONS, CONCLUSION
AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction -
5.2 Summary -
5.2 Recommendations -
5.3 Conclusion -
References -
Questionnaire -
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Youth empowerment is a process whereby young people gain the ability and authority to make decisions and implement change in their own lives. The youths form almost half of the world’s population with the majority under 25 years of age (Gribble, 2010). This population however is at a greater risk ranging from radicalization, terrorism, health among other maladjusted behaviour that put their lives and that of the community at risk.Youth empowerment ranges from economic empowerment to social, ideological, educational, technological and political empowerment.
No other time is the issue of youth empowerment and development more apt than the present time where youths are faced with a lot of unprecedented challenges. In the world of over seven billion population, governments and policy makers are increasingly finding it difficult to grapple successfully with youth unemployment, corruption, insecurity , among others make the world appear to be heading towards a dangerous precipice that has defied all known economic theories. This is why theprovisions of education, critical infrastructural facilities, improved health care services, employment opportunities and stabilized economy are sine qua non for any nation that anticipates a prosperous future.
Youth empowerment according to Jimba (2006) involves different ways the youth can be facilitated to cause changes in their life style. He maintained that youth empowerment means a way of inculcating into the youths the spirit of transformation of ideas into creativeness. It encompasses different ways youth can be exposed into different trades that may help them to engage in sustainable paid and self-employment.
Generally the youths are considered the future of the state since they determine its future development (Cohen, 2010). However, due to changes in the social institutions like the family and other factors like industrialization, urbanization, and environmental factors, the youth now face recurrent social problems in health, unemployment, drug abuse, and so on (Gribble, 2010). Half of Africa population is made up of young people, these Africa’s youth’s live on less than $2.00 a day (Mutuku, 2011). Besides earning low-income they are also faced with challenges hard to address, research shows that poor people die premature deaths, get married at a young age, and have large families, and experience malnutrition and ill health (Mwiti, 2006).
Young people in Africa are growing up in social environments where chances of living decent lives are negligible and with bleak prospects (Mutuku, 2011). These widespread challenges are “breeding” frustration, anxiety and despair, culminating in crime, drug addiction, and early pregnancy and alcoholism (Mbatia, 2009).
Hopelessness and desperation has made young people be vulnerable to armed rebel or insurgent movements as experienced in some African countries today (Cramer, 2011). To address these social problems, Social workers are mandated to apply evidence-informed practices based on emerging research findings and empirical evidence to provide quality services to the young people (NASW, 2013). The young population in Nigeria constitutes of 75 percent of the total population and it is estimated that this population is under the age of 35 years (Kahl, 2012). The Nigerian government has recognized that the youth have a role in shaping the country’s social, economic and political development (Owuor, 2008). However, Nigeria continues to experience a glaring mismatch between the aspirations of its youth and the opportunities available to them despite their high hopes and ambitions. (Agenda, 2013). This is clearly demonstrated by youth unemployment which is currently estimated to be over 70 percent in Nigeria and a major concern to policy makers (Nebe, 2012).
Nigeria, as one of the developing countries of the world is struggling with numerous problems at each level of her education system, inability to halt continuous increase in the rate of youth unemployment, redundant artificial restrictions placed on self-employment, job creation opportunities and outright lack of social services such as roads, water systems and electricity networks. If anything, the Nigerian youth have been denied opportunities to develop in diverse realms of humanendeavours. Ineptitude, mediocrity and intellectual dearth have become the three hallmarks of the Nigerian youth. In a national survey jointly sponsored by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Education Trust Fund (ETF) in 2004, 61% of 20 organizations rated Nigerian science graduates poor in skills needed in the work environment such as literacy, oral communication, information technology, entrepreneurship, analytical, problem-solving and decision making (Okafor, 2011).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The purpose of skill acquisition programme as a means of youth empowerment according to Ogundowolo (2008) is to prepare and equip the youths with appropriate skills that are beneficial to them in future. He maintained that ideal skill acquisition is capable of ensuring value re-orientation among the youths and transforming them into creators of wealth and employment instead or seekers. The creation of wealth and employment helps in poverty reduction and increase of welfare status of individuals in the country.In line with the above view, Ogbe (2009) stated that wealth creation through youth empowerment is expected to reverse the structural weakness and imbalances in the economy by providing strategic focus and direction and inculcating in the youths the right ethics, discipline, values, hard work, honesty, respect and humility among others.
Regrettably, the Nigerian youth are grossly unemployed and their potentials underutilized thereby making development precarious. With over ten million almajiris (child beggars) wandering the streets of Northern Nigeria; 23.9% ofemployable Nigerians unemployed; and 112 million Nigerians (61%) living on less than a dollar per day (Muhammed, 2012), Nigeria’s future prosperity becomes insecure. Low economic growth, low economic activity and low investment have been adduced as factors contributing to low job creation and due to increase in population growth, the small labourmarket is unable to absorb the resulting army of job seekers in Nigeria (Emeh, 2012).
The increase in the population of youth who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) hinders development. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, MallamSanusiLamidoSanusi, is thereforejustified to have said:
…the youth constitute 18% of the world population but African countries under invest on the youth at great consequences such as breeding an unproductive segment who live under the poverty line of two dollars a day.
If anything, the Nigerian youth have been denied opportunities to develop in diverse realms of human endeavours. Ineptitude, mediocrity and intellectual dearth have become the three hallmarks of the Nigerian youth. In a national survey jointly sponsored by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Education Trust Fund (ETF) in 2004, 61% of 20 organizations rated Nigerian science graduates poor in skills needed in the work environment such as literacy, oral communication, information technology, entrepreneurship, analytical, problem-solving and decision making (Okafor, 2011).
The National Youth Policy is full of platitudes and little has been done to bring it into full implementation despite several reviews of the policy since its formulation in 1981. Admittedly, the federal government noted that policy attempts hardly provided a concrete framework for addressing the heightened problems confronting the youth in the 1990’s. This was partly because the implementation mechanisms of the policy were weak and ineffective (SNYPD, 2009). Bondzi-Simpson (2011) was therefore right to have asserted that enforcement challenge undermines the rate of development in most African states. Until 2007, there was no separate ministry for youth development in the country.
Governments at all levels have continued to lay claim to several jobs created. Yet, the jobs are nowhere to be found by the massive youth. Dwindling economy resulting from corrupt practices (Otumba, 2013), lack of entrepreneurial skills (Alao, 2013), job creations, marketable and productive skills (Emeh, 2012) have all been identified as the root causes of youth unemployment. The crux of the matter is that apart from the youth unemployment rate put at 23.9 percent in 2011, there is the problem of unemployable youth arising from gross incompetence. There is a wide gap between employers’ needs and employees’ skills. The commonly suggested way out from these precarious situations is youth empowerment that will drive development in several sectors of the economy.
To meet up with these challenges facing the youths, different skill acquisition programmers were initiated and put in place by the Federal and State governments throughout the country to instill in them the habit of acting through repetition and practice (FGN, 2004).Prominent among the reasons for the growth and expansion of skills acquisition programmes in Nigeria was the need for the survival of the youths through self-reliance programmes. Initially, the efforts of the government towards youth empowerment was in agricultural production but as time went by, the idea was diversified into agricultural, industrial and handcrafts production that can yield income and make the youths viable. In recent years, in order to achieve the desired goal, different training programmes were instituted by the Federal and State government to imbibe in the youths the culture of creativity and entrepreneurship.
This studyassesses youth unemployment as a growing challenge in Uselu Community as well as the Nation as a whole in the social work perspective.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of the study is to assess the impact of youth empowerment programme using the social work perspective in Uselu community.
1. To assess the impacts of youth empowerment to Uselu Community.
2. To assess factors that hinder youth empowerment in Uselu Community.
3. To identify the level of youth empowerment in Uselu community.
4. To ascertain the roles of the government to youth empowerment.
5. To ascertain the roles of social workers on youth empowerment.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the impacts of youth empowerment programmes to Uselu Community?
2. What are the factors that hinder youth empowerment in Uselu Community?
3. What is the level of youth empowerment in Uselu community?
4. What are the roles of the government to youth development?
5. What are the roles of social workers to youth development?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significant of this research work are enormous. First, the work addresses one of the key issues of contemporary Nigeria. It touches areas that affect the conduct of democratic principles in Nigerian polity which is the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). Hence, the study is of benefit tostudents of international relations, politics, development studies, history, and even those in the social sciences.
The importance of youth empowerment development cannot be underestimated in Uselu community. Creation of employment opportunities and utilizing it as a major source of livelihood and income generation by youth through micro enterprises is a crucial issue. Though theconcept of youth empowerment is progressively gaining momentum within the Edo Society, various studies have much focused on the analysis of socio-economic conditions and problems faced by youth, but the studies on youth empowerment and their economic contribution is extremely limited. Problems and potentials of youth empowerment in social and economic context virtually remain untouched.
Thus, this study will contribute to the growing body of knowledge in youth empowerment as it looks at the concept from a different angle. The findings of this study will shed light on the challenges and prospects of youth empowerment in Uselu community for the following stakeholders: researchers; policy makers; donors; empowerment educators; and the youth development practitioners who are enthusiastic about developing youth empowerment in Uselu community. This study will also aid other researchers who might want to carry out research in related area.
1.6 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
Unemployment: Unemployment people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past five weeks. The unemployment rate is a measure of the prevalence of unemployment and it is calculated as a percentage by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by all individuals currently in the labour force.
Employment: This is a relationship between two parties, usually based on a contract, one being the employer and the other being the employee. Youth development, the process of growing up and developing one’s capacities, happens no matter what we do.
Youth Development: -Refers to intentional efforts of other youth, adults, communities, government agencies, and schools to provide opportunities for youth to enhance their interests, skills, and abilities into their adulthoods.
Nation-building: - Refers to the process of constructing or structuring a national identity using the power of the state. This process aims at the unification of the people within the state so that it remains politically stable and viable in the long run.
Youth: - Time between childhood and adulthood (maturity). "Youth are also regarded as those persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years.
Economics: - Is the social science that studies economic activity to gain an understanding of the processes that govern the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services in an exchange economy.
Empowerment: - Refers to increasing the economic, political, social, educational, gender, or spiritual strength of individuals and communities.
Youth Empowerment: Youth empowerment is an attitudinal, structural, and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority, and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives.
Non-Governmental Organizations: A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government and a term usually used by governments to refer to entities that have no government status.
Social Work:Is a helping profession that seeks to improve well-being of people especially for the vulnerable populations.
Social Work Implication:This refers to the significance of social work in the tackling of the challenges of youth empowerment.
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