PART 3 - Dispelling Media and Public Misconceptions about Community Development as a Discipline and Profession.

PART 3 - Dispelling Media and Public Misconceptions about Community Development as a Discipline and Profession.

Examining the Concept of Community Service and The Practice of Community Development.

As part of our effort at dispelling public misconceptions about community development as a discipline and profession, we will be looking at the concept of community service and community development practice. Community service and community development are two concepts that have been incorrectly and interchangeably used by many. Community development has been confused with the term community service and I suggest that this conceptual confusion must not be under-estimated because of its impact on people who may want to pursue a career/ job in the development field.

Community service and community development are two separate concepts that have been in use for centuries in many parts of the world. In many countries, community service has served the purpose of punishing people for certain misdemeanour or minor offences. In some developed countries people are asked to do community service for offences such as over speeding, or driving while under the influence of alcohol. You constantly hear that a celebrity has been sentenced to 100 hours of community service as a punishment for a crime he/she has committed instead of sending him/her to jail. Here, the concept of community service is therefore used as an alternative criminal justice system. In fact, in some countries, community service is referred to as a suspended sentence.

So, with this understanding, it will be difficult for many people to see the discipline of community development as a field where one can make a career from since it has to do with a type of justice system. We can see very clearly that these varied ideas and perceptions are capable of misleading individuals who may want a career in the human and social development field. Many people will think that both concepts are related and may have to do with punishment or atonement for wrong doing and cannot be pursued as a career. Traditionally, community service is work done by an individual or group of individuals without payment aimed at helping people or community or for the benefit of the public.

This readily brings to mind the mandatory one -  year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in Nigeria. Every year, over 200.000 Nigerian graduates are mobilized into the NYSC programme where they serve the nation for a period of one year. Corps members are not paid salaries for this, but are provided with stipends or allowances for their upkeep while in the service..

An important aspect of the NYSC programme is the compulsory Community Development Service (CDS) which according to the law establishing it “ is aimed at harnessing the skills, creativity and innovativeness of corps members who are expected to identify the needs of their host communities and mobilise members of their host communities to embark on development project” It stated further that “corps members should accept their posting and be agents of change, contributing towards the development of their host communities”.

Reports indicate that many corps members have executed or implemented various people – centred development projects in their target communities across the nation. Interestingly, implementing such development projects by corps members in their host communities has become the bench mark for measuring individual corps members’ performance. Such community service has equally become one of the criteria or standards for giving awards and honours to corps members by the federal, state and local governments. On their part, the NYSC as an institution has received both local and international accolades and has been applauded severally for its role in nation – building,

 Any Nigerian graduate who fails to participate in the one-year community development service of the NYSC scheme will not be considered eligible for employment in any organization in the country after graduation unless with official exemption for reasons of age, health, or one already working in any of the armed forces. It is therefore, obligatory for every Nigerian graduate to participate in the Community Development Service (CDS) of the scheme.

Here, community development service is seen as part of citizenship requirement by the government and many young Nigerian graduates who for one year have been compelled to do community development service may not likely see community development as a worthwhile career that can be pursued or practiced. In fact, many ex corps members I have spoken with explained that community development is a service that one can offer free to his/her community or nation.