Methodology To Be Adopted In Order To Motivate The Youths Of The Nation To Portray Positive Attitude Towards CDS.

Motivation is a combination of goals towards which human behaviour is directed, the process through which those goals are pursued and achieved and social factors involved (Jones, Jennifer & Hill, 2000). An individual is motivated through certain motivational factors that directs and sustains behaviour.

Youth involvement in community development service, decision making, and action hasn’t received a lot of attention in the past, but youth are becoming increasingly involved in community development service. Decentralization of power in community development, good leadership, identification of community needs, respect for people's culture, adequate funding, and need selection that are capable of promoting community development activities.

What motivates a citizen to participate in community and how can we help channel that motivation toward community health? Community participation may be defined differently for each person. Additionally, the act of participation has different levels. Voting is perhaps the simplest form of participation and serving on a local community board may be the most intensive. Involvement with a community board often requires numerous meetings, group discussions, and decision-making. By surveying a broad spectrum of participators, from voters to community board members, we are better able to understand what motivates individuals to participate.

The following are methods of encouraging youth's participation in community development:

• Give youth an opportunity to contribute and offer their input.

• Allow active collaboration between adults and youth—integrate youth into committees with adults who can act as mentors.

• Form relationships with teachers who engage youth in community concerns to increase youth involvement.

• Connect youth to policy efforts by including them in the assessment of current policies and potential policies.

• Encourage youth to identify their own interests and activities where they can make positive changes.

• Allow youth to confront serious social problems and become active community citizens.

• Evaluate youth involvement efforts on a regular basis to identify and capitalize on strengths, identify and address weaknesses, and help gain more meaningful youth participation.

• Youth are a valuable resource for organizations and groups involved in community development. By motivating and allowing opportunities for adult-youth-collaboration, community organizations can help youth learn valuable skills and prepare them to become civically engaged adults.

Youth collaboration can benefit community nonprofit organizations, volunteer programs, and nongovernmental organizations in the following ways:

• Youth can be an effective planning and evaluation resource.

• Younger members can help long-term community efforts because they’re in a position to become long-term contributors.

• Involved youth can help organizations become more aware of issues that concern younger populations, which can increase an organization’s impact.

Not only do community organizations benefit when they collaborate with youth, this collaboration also helps youth themselves. Community participation helps youth become empathetic citizens who could potentially continue similar work when they become adults. Additionally, youth who give back to their communities develop leadership skills, learn the importance of helping, and gain work experience.

WRITTEN BY: Amaka Victoria Osuigwe

State Code:  OS/23A/9965

Course of Study: Mass Communication