Youth development is as a core aspect of human and national progress in Nigeria. The study suggests the development of young people as the means of poverty reduction. It indicates that amidst cultural, ethnic, and religious diversities, and in the light of threats to human life and property, the development of the youth is the way to promoting peace and unity, justice, and security. The book argues on a two-fold contribution: While the Nigerian Church is to intensify efforts in the active participation of lay Christians in politics, the State is to tackle critical areas to ensure a decent standard of living for all.

MOVING THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MESSAGE: TURNING A VAGUE IDEA INTO A MORAL IMPERATIVE Peter L. Benson and Karen Pittman THE CONTAGION OF AN IDEA In the past fifteen years, countless programs, agencies, funding initiatives, profes sionals, and volunteers have embraced the term "youth development. " Linked more by shared passion than by formal membership or credentials, these people and places have contributed to a wave of energy and activity not unlike that of a social movement, with a multitude of people "on the ground" connecting to a set of ideas that give sustenance, support, and value to increasingly innovative efforts to build competent, successful, and healthy youth. There are several particularly interesting dimensions to this movement. First, the youth development idea has the potential to draw people and organizations to gether across many sectors. Conferences and initiatives using youth development language attract increasingly eclectic audiences, bringing together national youth organizations, schools, city, county, and state agencies, police and juvenile jus tice workers, clergy, and committed citizens. Perhaps embedded in the youth de velopment idea is a philosophy or a "way" that has created an intellectual and/or spiritual home for actors across many settings. However this happens, it is clear that one of the powerful social consequences of the youth development idea is a connecting of the dots-the weaving within and across city, county, state, and of a tapestry of new relationships.

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2019 in the subject African Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, , language: English, abstract: The popular Aphorism; ‘Black is not synonymous to lack” is constantly brought to check every time the media reveals disheartening news and clips of poverty-ravaged places in Nigeria. Like it or not, current statistics globally relates the black race to skyrocketing levels of wants and poverty. It is forever bewildering when the stats are brought up and a country such as Nigeria- the supposed giant of Africa sits amidst nations perishing in the loosed hands of poverty. It is more perplexing when the resources in the country are taken into consideration. Consisting of virtually all kinds of raw materials capable of changing the socio-economic phase of her people, it is distasteful that a large set of Nigerians live in abject poverty. In a bid to counter the problem at hand, some ‘well-Meaning-Nigerians’ has proffered that the wretched climate of the nation is attributed to the fact that the nation is barely young when compared to other civilizations and hence must not be viewed on a parallel basis. This statement however, is not entirely true as it will spell folly on the nation if we wait to be over Three hundred (300) years before expecting significant change. In my own outlook, we stand a better chance than any nation in the world today. We have the experiences of these nations to learn from, a bountiful land arguably the most blessed in terms of mineral and agricultural resources, and above all, a whooping youthful population capable of rejuvenating the socio-economic facade of the nation. For a country having all it takes to be a major world power, it is typical to wonder why her current status quo says otherwise. It is not with all the acumen in the world if the issues constraining her socio-economic redundancy is attributed to a direct negligence to the Nigerian youth. The youth remains the active set of individuals and thereby responsible for nation building. I consider the Nigerian youth as a fragile bomb. If handled carefully, they possess the prowess to deliver the nation into victory over her socio-economic hurdles. Likewise, neglect will spell catastrophe on the socio-economic development of the nation as they find solace in antisocial vices.

What are the types of environments in which youth thrive? How do we cultivate such environments to promote optimal development and positive behavior in youth? The Youth Development Handbook: Coming of Age in American Communities provides youth and development practitioners access to current theory and research in the field of youth development, including illustrations of good practice, original case studies, and a contextual approach to such topics as youth participation and diversity. The Youth Development Handbook is designed for scholars and researchers in applied developmental science as well as practitioners and policy makers who implement youth development initiatives. The book is also recommended for use in graduate courses on youth development in the fields of Psychology, Human Development & Family Studies, and Education.