The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced a strategic shift to strengthen its Community Development Service (CDS) initiatives, aiming to address modern societal challenges through grassroots engagement and sustainable projects.
Speaking at a capacity-building workshop in Abuja, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, emphasised that the scheme is prioritising the empowerment of officers to better guide Corps Members in identifying community needs and mobilising resources effectively.
The training, themed “Strengthening Community Development Service (CDS) for Sustainability in a Changing Society”, focused on equipping CDS officers with contemporary tools to improve the well-being of host communities.
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Represented by the Director of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Chukwu Chinwendu, Nafiu stated that the CDS programme remains a cornerstone of the NYSC mandate.
He noted that the initiative allows Corps Members to contribute directly to national development while fostering social cohesion.
“The future of the NYSC largely depends on the impact it makes on the lives of Nigerians,” he noted, reaffirming the management’s commitment to continuous training as a key strategy for success.
To ensure the long-term viability of projects executed by Corps Members, the DG urged officers to deepen collaborations with a wide range of local stakeholders, including: traditional rulers and religious leaders, youth groups and community development associations and opinion leaders and local stakeholders.
Nafiu lauded successive batches of Corps Members for their life-changing contributions, which continue to keep the Scheme relevant in the eyes of the public.
Earlier in the event, the Acting Director of Community Development Service, Olufunmilayo Ajayi, highlighted the critical nature of the CDS component.
She urged officers to apply the insights gained from the workshop to enhance their effectiveness in the field, stressing that such training is vital for navigating the complexities of a changing society.
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This move follows recent efforts by the NYSC to modernize its various departments, including the standardisation of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) curriculum to include digital skills like Artificial Intelligence and mobile app development.
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