Assessment Of Youth Organization’s Participation In The Planning And Implementation Of Community Development Projects In Abia State, Nigeria

Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of the  study was to assess youth organizations’  participation in planning and implementation of community development projects in Abia State.

The specific purposes of the study are;

1. to ascertain the extent of youth organizations’ participation in the planning of community development projects in Abia State.

2. to determine the extent of youth organizations’ participation in the implementation of community development projects in Abia State.

3. to examine the factors that affect youth organizations’ participation in planning and implementation of community development projects in Abia State.

4. to determine the strategies for improving participation of youth organizations’ in the planning and implementation of community development projects in Abia State.

Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is viewed from both theoretical and practical perspective. Theoretically, role theory states that role specification and performance of youths can be seen to be crucial in the community development. Meanwhile, these entire roles cannot be effectively filled simultaneously by one person in a social action process  but can be filled collectively. Therefore, this study will help the youth in area of  division   of labour and classification of responsibilities among the youths for effective participation in planning and implementation of community development activities.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory states that ultimate desire of all human beings  is to be self-actualized. In Maslow’s theory, there is hierarchy of needs to be satisfied in order to achieve fulfillment of self and it includes; physiological needs, safety need, belongingness, self- esteem and self-actualization. Each hierarchy of need  must  be satisfied before the satisfaction of the next level of needs. This theory shows that youth  must be motivated by making sure that these basic needs are sufficient to free them to participate fully in planning and implementation of  community  development  projects.  The findings of this study will help the community leaders and community development agencies to fully motivate them for effective implementation of community development activities.

From the practical point, the significance of this study would be a veritable tool or instrument to the  students, lecturers and researchers who are carrying out research on  youth participation in community development issues as well as  non-governmental agencies who have interest in youth development or empowerment matters in the study  area. Therefore, the findings of this research study, would assist the government in the assessment of the role and performance of youth  organizations  in  community  development as well as identify the problems that the  youth  organizations  are facing  in the course of carrying out these community development projects and proffer lasting or     far reaching solutions where necessary.

The findings of this research study would also benefit the youth organizations  in  the area of their involvement in community development projects, especially as it borders on the planning and implementation of those projects. This research  work  would  help them to assess their current status and make adjustments where the need arise.

Additionally, the findings of this research work, would add  to  the  existing  works/literature in the area of youth organizations’ participation in community  development projects, which by extension constitute a reference material for students, lecturers, researchers and any other person(s) that would be interested in knowing more about youths and their participation in community development projects in Abia State.

The findings would as well place non-governmental agencies who have the interest of youths at heart on a sound footing to ascertain the best  way of  reaching and attending to the youths, in order to achieve their stated goals and objectives.

Research Questions

The following research questions will guide this study;

1 To what extent do the youth organizations participate in the  planning  of community development projects in Abia State?

2 To what extent do the youth organizations participate in the implementation of community development projects in Abia State?

3 What are the factors that affect  youth  organizations’  participation  in  planning  and implementation of community development projects in Abia State?

4 What are strategies for improving the participation of youth organizations in planning and implementation of community development projects in Abia State?

Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses are formulated to guide this study. They  will  be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

HO1: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the  extent  of  youth  organizations  participation in the planning of community development projects in Abia State.

HO2: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the extent  of  youth  organizations’  participation in the implementation of community development projects in Abia State.

HO3: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the factors that affect youth organizations’ participation in planning and implementation of community development projects  in Abia State.

HO4: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of male and female members of youth organizations on the  strategies for improving the  participation  of youth organizations in the planning and implementation of community development projects in Abia State.

Scope of the Study

This study covers four local government areas from the three senatorial zones in Abia State. The content is an assessment of youth organizations’ participation in planning and implementation of community development projects in Abia State, the variables are ; the participation of youth organizations in the planning of community development projects, participation of youth organization in the implementation of community development projects , factors that affects youth participation in  community  development  and  strategies for improving youth participation in planning  and  implementation  of community development projects .Three communities will be selected from each of  the four local government area for the study.