In a major stride towards Professionalizing Youth Work and Youth Development in Nigeria, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development Comr. Ayodele Olawande, urges the State Governors in Nigeria to prioritise Youth welfare and development in their various States. He made this known during the opening ceremony of the workshop on the Professionalisation of Youth Work in Nigeria, held on Tuesday, June 23 in Abuja Nigeria
Hon. Olawande said to get the best out of our youth, the Governors must first give the Youth Practitioners who serve them the best of training and support, and Professionalization is a strategic method of achieving that.
“Youth Workers are not just facilitators; they are the engine room of the nation’s future. The engagement of youth workers with the young people directly shapes the citizens of tomorrow, and shape the quality of our national development. Their influence is significant and limitless” he said
He further appealed to Governors to support in sponsorship and Development of Youth professionals, that effective youth development demands professional excellence, and good intention alone are not enough to achieve the complex demands of our rapidly changing society. The people guiding the youth must operate at the highest level of their capacities, especially when they have good training, with ethical standard and a recognized professional identity,
“This journey is not just about giving titles, certificates, or job descriptions. It is about recognizing the critical role that youth workers play in shaping the future of our country”
Layne Robinson Head of Youth Division Commonwealth London, in his speech encouraged leaders to have a long term vision of youth development as well as invest in Youth work and Youth Professionalisation as one of the critical step of advancement.
Robinson outlined six point road map to be adapted for Youth workers; Recognition of Youth Workers as professionals, Establish a Professional Association like NYWA, Strong Ethical Standards, Competency, Qualification Pathways, and Supervision and quality assurance mechanism be put in place to regulate training and activities of Youth Workers.
The Keynote Speaker Prof. Tunji Olaopa in his context analysis explains that Youth work is a coded dimension of Social work, and demands bold political policy steps, to implement significant proffessional decisions.
Olaopa pointed out that Youth work is clustered around youth intervention programmes and Volunteerism targeted at Young people living in precarious circumstances or facing some form or marginalization or deprivation.
In his address, Comr. Ben Duntoye the President of Nigeria Youth Workers Association (NYWA), which is an affiliate of the Commonwealth Alliance of Youth Workers Association (CAYWA), says NYWA will actively keep working to promote and advocate for youth development practice as a recognized and respected profession within Nigeria and globally, elevating its status and encouraging widespread adoption
He also appealed to stakeholders to team up to ensure there is legislation to back the professionalization of Youth Work through a bill, and for State Governments to consider sponsoring their staff to fully participate in the flagship Post Graduate Programmes in Youth Development.
The workshop was organized by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD) in collaboration with University of Abuja and Nigeria Youth Workers Association (NYWA), in order to relaunch the Commonwealth Youth Programme Post Graduate Courses, with commitment from all relevant stakeholders as well as repositioning Youth Development from the Social Service Sector to the Human Capital Development Sector among others