Abstract

In developing countries like Nigeria, every citizen has the right to be involved in any development activities that is targeted at meeting the “felt needs” of their community rather than wait endlessly for government intervention. Self-help community development activities like construction and maintenance of community roads and rural electrification among others, are expected to be facilitated by all the stakeholders in the community, including the youths who are legitimately the future custodian of the welfare of their community and the greatest investment that can be utilized to mobilize local material resources for the community as well as the country’s development. This study therefore poses 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. Thus, the issue of youth migration or abandonment of projects can also 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 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. Recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.

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