Report on the Research Survey: “Understanding Youth Perspectives on Personal Development”
Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youths in the world. According to the federal Ministry of Youth development, the population of youths (15 – 35 years) in Nigeria is estimated to be 64 million where females were 51.6 percent. There are more females than males in all age groups except in the age group 15 – 19 where the females were recorded as 47.2 per cent. Lagos state had the highest percentage of youths in Nigeria (6.1 per cent) followed by Kano state (5.7 per cent) while Bayelsa state had the lowest (1.3 per cent). Presently, Nigerian youths are severely hampered by a number of challenges and
are unable to attain their full potential. According to available data from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), unemployment rate was highest for young people aged 15 – 24 years at 34.2 percent, about 3 times the global unemployment rate for
Akanni and Jacob stated in their article on daily premium that the size and youthfulness of the population offer great potential to expand Nigeria’s capacity as the regional economic hub of Africa and globally. A young, large population could be an economic asset because population growth and urbanisation go together and economic development is closely correlated with urbanisation. However, Nigeria is not reaping the benefits of its current population structure and must do more to mitigate the negatives. A large population of unskilled, economically unproductive, unhealthy and poorly educated young people is also a burden to society. Therefore, the need for personal development activities is paramount both for the youths growth and also usefulness to the society.
According to the encyclopedia of children’s health, Personality development is the development of the organized pattern of behaviors and attitudes that makes a person distinctive. Rajal, a member of Forbes council Said in an article titled Intentional Personal Development: A Game-Changer For Leaders Of Today And Tomorrow “Not everyone has personal development goals in mind, however. Deciding to grow as a person reflects your need for life-long growth and learning, motivating you to form new habits. From these definitions of personal development, we make an attempt to enquire into the Nigerian youth’s understanding of personal development through a research survey.
Our recent research survey aimed to understand the Nigerian youth’s perspective on personal development. The survey revealed intriguing insights into their concepts of personal growth, the barriers hindering development, and the participation levels in self-improvement initiatives.
Before our study, other studies have been conducted on different aspects of your development in general, the statistics of Nigerian youth, youth productivity, and active living. However, based on our aim to help young people bridge the gap between success and failure in life, we chose to conduct this survey that will enhance our knowledge of the Nigerian youth and hence improve on how best to render our assistance.
The research was conducted for approximately 2 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days, spanning from August 17 to November 7, 2023. It delves into the perspectives of individuals on personal development, highlighting key demographics, engagement in personal development activities, factors influencing interest, the perceived importance of personal development, challenges in pursuit, societal encouragement, and additional insights.
The study encompassed individuals aged between 18 to 35, with those aged 18-21 constituting 51.9% of the respondents. Following closely were youths aged 21-25, making up 37%, while the remaining percentage comprised individuals aged 26-35. Notably, it was evident that individuals in their early 20s exhibited a greater curiosity towards personal development compared to those in their late 30s.
Encouragingly, nearly half of the respondents indicated their active participation in personal development endeavors. Moreover, an overwhelming 82% affirmed the significance of personal development in an individual’s overall well-being. When exploring the reasons for non-engagement in such activities, lack of motivation emerged as the predominant factor, followed by social media distractions and peer pressure.
The prevalence of lack of motivation hints that these developmental activities might not resonate as enjoyable or engaging for many. Furthermore, the adverse effects of uncontrolled social media usage on personal development cannot be underestimated, as 74.1% of respondents acknowledged its influence on diminishing interest in self-improvement.
It’s noteworthy that the leading deterrents for young people’s lack of involvement in personal development activities are ignorance, time constraints, fear of failure and rejection, financial limitations, and lack of interest. However, Ignorance takes the lead on the poll from the perspective of our respondents and we deduced that one major way young people can be helped is to create a system that introduces an average person to the realm of personal improvement at a very tender age.
We were quite amazed to find out that according to our respondents, many young people are not self-developing because they are not interested in activities that ensure personal development. This reveals that beyond the societal factors involved in youth stagnation and failure, some of the young people might be the architects of their failure.
After the survey, we asked respondents for their recommendations on how society can better support youth in their self-improvement journey. A predominant suggestion was the need to promote personal development through engaging platforms such as social media, schools, and homes. Additionally, respondents highlighted the necessity for counseling, follow-up support, and mentorship for young individuals.
One respondent expressed difficulty in creating and adhering to a personal development plan, emphasizing the challenge of maintaining consistency once a plan is established. This underscores the potential need for assistance in overcoming inconsistency.
Factors like a lack of vision, low self-esteem, and recurring disappointments can discourage individuals from pursuing self-improvement. A respondent aptly noted,
“Young people who can’t envision themselves beyond their present situation might not see the value in personal development. Cultivating a positive self-perception is a crucial starting point.”
Ultimately, the survey underscores the importance of comprehending the concept of personal development among young people to encourage their active participation in it. It provides valuable insights into the engagement of youth in personal development activities, with a significant portion actively participating. The data collected offers a foundation for understanding the preferences and attitudes of the surveyed demographic, contributing to the broader discourse on youth personal development.
The result of the survey reveals to us that understanding the diverse perspectives of young individuals is crucial for effective personal development programs. Also, challenges such as societal comparisons, lack of awareness, and self-esteem issues need to be addressed.
We recommend encouragement through mentorship, positive stories, and societal support as they play a vital role in fostering personal development. Social media should be used as a tool to foster youth’s personal development by intentionally creating and pushing out content that will foster their growth.
We also recommend that homes and social and educational systems such as schools, religious organizations, communities, and youth-oriented groups buy into the idea of introducing activities that propel and foster the growth and development of young people.
Likewise, since a good percentage of youth who participated in the survey commented that “sponsorship and finance” is one of the major hindrances of personal development, we will suggest that the government, non-governmental organizations, and all organizations that are oriented should look into providing financial aids, sponsorships, and scholarship as a means of helping and investing into the lives of promising Nigerian youths.
Similarly, we will also implore the youth to not relent in pursuing their dreams, challenges are meant to be overcome, and to self-develop must make sacrifices and go beyond the ordinary to achieve your goals. As you already know, little opportunities are given to selected few either by merit or by recommendation. Prioritise self-development so that you can stand out among multitudes.
Finally, We believe that if we can work together to implement these provided interventions, we will be raising a generation of self-aware and growing youth who will in turn change the tides of affairs within and outside our country Nigeria.
