All About NYSC CDS Community Development Service

Community Development Service (CDS) is one of the four (4) Cardinal Programmes of NYSC in which corps members contribute positively to the development of their host communities throughout the period of national service. It is worthwhile mentioning that since its inception in 1973, the National Youth Service Corps has been making great contributions in the social, political and economic transformation of the nation.

In recent times, the scheme has been in the vanguard of the nation’s drive to correct the imbalance in our rural-urban development through the various community development programmes executed by corps members. These programmes have revolutionized our communities in the areas of education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, communication, infrastructure, technology, economic empowerment, poverty eradication, social services and above all national consciousness and sociocultural regeneration.

The followings are the objectives NYSC Community Development Service (CDS):

• Impacting positively on the improvement of rural community life.
• Developing the spirit of entrepreneurship in the corps members.
• To utilize the challenges which rural development poses and inculcate in the Nigerian Youth the ideals and capacities for leadership, endurance, selflessness, community service, national service, patriotism and creativity.
• Exposing corps members to diverse traditions and customs of the host communities.
• Providing the forum for corps members to experiment with ideas and translate them into concrete achievements thereby relying less on foreign technology and encouraging the use of local raw materials in the execution of projects.
• Harnessing the enormous talents and skills of corps members into an effective machinery of change in our rural communities.
• Providing on-the-job training and experience for corps members.
• Providing complementary service in our National development activities, by ensuring that our under-privileged population learn basic techniques for self-help through the appropriate technology concept being promoted by NYSC.
• To instil in corps members the tradition of the dignity of labour and productivity.
• To complement the activities of government at all levels in the stride towards national development.

Classifications of Community Development Service (CDS)

A. Group Community Development Service (Group CDS); Corps members are expected to use one day in a week for group CDS activities. They are not expected to attend duties in their places of Primary assignment on CD days. Such days are dedicated to the execution of projects and programmes that will improve the living conditions of their host communities.

List of NYSC CDS Group:
Corps Legal Aid Group (CLAG)
Purpose

• Free legal services t the less privileged and indigent prison inmates(Victims f denials and violation of rights)
• Sensitization f the public n fundamental human rights

Activites

• Advocacy
• Visit t prisons
• Legal service t inmates and indigent persons
• Public lecture and awareness n fundamental human rights

NYSC CDS Sports Group
Purpose

• Creates an avenue for recreation and healthy rivalry among corps members and the community.
• Arousing the consciousness of living healthy and purposeful lifestyles through participation in one form of physical activity or the other.
• Identifying talents among Corps

Activites

• Participation in Sports Competitions
• Identifying and Training members of the Community
• Organizing Sports Competitions

NYSC Cultural and Tourism Group (Band, Dance, Drama & Tourism)
Purpose

• Promoting arts and Culture
• Dissemination of vital socioeconomic and political problems and prospects

Activites

• Identifying talents
• Entertainment.
• Setting up of the schemes theatre groups

Education Development Group (Mass Literacy, Adult Education, Extra Murals ICT)
Purpose

• Enhance the Education Standard of the host community.
• Career guidance and counselling for students

Activites

• Campaign against Illiteracy
• Organizing Extra-mural classes for Adults.
• Organizing of in-school programmes

Environmental Protection and Sanitation Group (Ecovanguard, NESREA)
Purpose

• To promote and sustain a healthy environment
• To create awareness on sustainable environmental management and regeneration.

Activites

• Tree planting
• Sanitation
• Drainage Control
• Erosion Control
• Reforestation.
• Landscaping

Editorial/Publicity Group
Purpose

• Compliment the activities of the NYSC PRU in disseminating Information to the Community

Activites

• Making a presentation on mass media to enlighten people on socio-cultural education.

Road Safety Group
Purpose

• To contribute to public safety on our roads

Activites

• Sensitization and control of traffic.
• Rendering first aid to accident victims
• Establishment of road safety clubs in school

Reproductive Health & HIV/AIDS Group
Purpose

• To train and mentor Students
• To mobilize and strengthen community-based responses on HIV/AIDS prevention

Activites

• Sensitization and Campaign.

Anti-Corruption Group (EFCC & ICPC)
Purpose

• To help in eradicating corruption through Campaign

Activites

• Sensitization
• Creation of awareness in schools and organizations
• Establish Anti-Corruption Corps members in schools.

Service Delivery Group ( Attitudinal Change, ReBranding)
Purpose

• Sensitization on Service delivery and good work ethics.

Activites

• Training
• Sensitization
• Group discussions on value re-orientation

MDGs
Purpose

• To create awareness and actualize the 8 goals of MDGs

Activites

• Advocacy and Mentoring of the host community.

Medical and Health Services Group (Red Cross, Breast Without Spot, Polio Plus etc.)
Purpose

• Promotion and provision of Medical Services

Activites

• Health outreach
• First Aid administration.
• Establishment of Community based clinic
• Setting up of a clinic for the NYSC Secretariate

Drug-Free and Quality Control Group (NDLEA, NAFDAC, SON)
Purpose

• Eradication of fake and adulterated foods and drugs
• Create awareness on the danger of drug abuse.

Activites

• Campaign and Sensitization
• Establishment of drug-free clubs in Schools
• Ensuring linkages with the host Communities.

Agro-Allied Group
Purpose

• Support agro-allied activities in host communities
• To promote better food production and security

Activites

• Demonstration farms/Extension Services
• Establishment of Farmers Cooperative Societies.
• Advocacy
• The teaching of new farming techniques to communities
• Training and capacity building
• Establishment of young farmers clubs in host communities.

Charity Services and Gender Group
Purpose

• To improve the living standard of the downtrodden
• Charity outreaches to the public

Activites

• Mobilize funds and other resources for less privileged
• Visits of orphanages & prisons.
• Donation of materials to homes

Disaster Management Group (NEMA)
Purpose

• To create awareness on disaster management
• To disseminate information on how to manage disasters through Corps Emergency Vanguards.

Activites

• Public enlightenment on disaster management and control through the emergency Vanguards.
• Disaster management
• Liaison with NEMA on how to assist during emergencies
• Formation of emergency vanguard club in schools.

B. Personal/Individual Community Development Service (Personal/Individual CDS);
These are projects/programmes executed by individual corps members in their host communities based on Community felt-needs. Corps members are encouraged in addition to the group CDS to look out for areas where they could make an individual impact in the community. It could be construction projects like the building of toilets, incinerators, bridges, classrooms, games facilities for schools etc or social/educational project such as the establishment of ICT laboratory, school libraries, extra-mural classes, campaigns, charity work, vocational training for the empowerment of unemployed youths etc

C. Collaborative Community Development Service:
The scheme partners with National and Non-Governmental organizations and other establishments to implement development programmes. The Scheme signs MOU with the partners, clearly stating each partner’s roles/responsibilities. Corps members are usually involved as Volunteers on this programme.

Types of Collaborative NYSC CDS:

• Road Safety Group
• Reproductive Health & HIV.AIDs Group
• Anti-Corruption (EFCC & ICPC) Group
• Service Delivery Group ( Attitudinal Change, Re-Branding)
• MDGs
• Medical and Health Services Group (Red Cross, Breast Without Spot, Polio Plus etc.)
• Drug-Free and Quality Control Group (NDLEA, NAFDAC, SON)