Woman, volunteer or clipboard with checklist for eco friendly development or charity campaign in park. Female person, activist or NGO with to do list, stock or inventory for community donation.
Nigerian youth have been urged to treat volunteering as a career strategy, not just community service, as employers increasingly demand practical experience alongside academic qualifications.
Speaking at an online Volunteer Development Workshop hosted by the Louis Awode Foundation, the founder, Mr Louis Awode, said young people aged 15 to 30 should see service as a way to build skills that can improve their job prospects.
“Leadership is not about titles. Leadership is about service. The title simply gives you a platform to serve more people,” Awode said.
He noted that volunteer roles expose participants to real workplace challenges and responsibilities that classrooms often do not cover.
The foundation, he added, is open to working with donors and organisations to expand opportunities that support youth contribution to social, economic and environmental development.
Leadership coach Bukunola Ogundele said service helps young professionals build the character needed before taking on leadership roles.
“Service truly shapes you. It shapes your character and your ability to hold true to that title when it finally comes,” Ogundele said.
She added that volunteering develops resilience, accountability, confidence and emotional intelligence, traits employers now prioritise.
Development practitioner Adebimpe also advised youths to be intentional about where they volunteer.
“You need to document your impact,” Adebimpe said, urging young people to track what changed because of their work and align opportunities with their career goals.
She cautioned against generic applications, especially with artificial intelligence making essays look alike.
“Generic statements won’t sell, especially now in the age of AI, when everything just looks the same,” she said.
The speakers agreed that with a competitive labour market, volunteering offers Nigerian youth a practical pathway to employability, professional networks and leadership experience.
