Report on Training for Strengthening Youth As Anti-Corruption Advocates

Background of the workshop: The training was held to strengthened fight against corruption, implemented by CSO of Youth Alive Foundation which is funded through the DFID Nigeria’s Anti–corruption in Nigeria (Acorn) programme. Two representatives of Strategy and innovation for Development Initiatives (SI4DEV) participated in the training. This training took place on 21st and 22nd May 2018 at YAF Hall, 26 Esuene Street Uyo.

• Objectives of the workshop:
  .To educate participants on corruption.
  .To educate participants on consequences of corruption in our nation.
  .Educate on how to manage conflict.
  . Train participants on how to approach and create awareness on corruption to the public.

Discussion:
The workshop which seek to achieve a reduction in corruption because corruption undermines democracy and the rules of law and it leads to violents of human rights. It erodes public trust in government.
It hurt the poor disproportionately by diverting funds intended for development, undermining government’s ability to provide basic services, feeding inequality and injustice and discouraging foreign investment and aid.
The workshop increase participants knowledge that research has shown that youths represent a significant part of Nigeria’s population, tend to be more exposed to bribery and therefore partily vulnerable to corruption, as they are involved in almost every aspect of the society. As student, pupils, workers, customers and citizens.
At the workshop different types of corruption and what constitutes corruption practice in Nigeria and the challenges that an Anti corruption advocates will face when he or she approach the resistance group.
After the lunch break:
How to manage conflict was introduced to the participants, the causes of conflicts, the stage of conflict and how it can be prevent . The participants understand that there are non violent and violent conflict and their levels and how is to be handled.
The instructor listed the causes of conflicts which are: poor governance, lack of equal economic or social opportunities or inadequate political participation of a group, unequal access to natural resources all this under structural causes and Proximate causes that when combined with the structural causes can lead to escalation stage.

On the second day of the workshop:
Participants were trained on social and behaviour change communication.
Sbcc is an interactive, researched and planning process aimed at changing social conditions and individual behaviors.
The core element are:
. Advocacy to raise resource and political and social leadership commitment for change goals.
. social/community mobilization for wider participate and ownership.
Behaviour change communication for changes in knowledge attitudes and practices.
The training help participants to understand the role of SBCC/Social norms in fighting corruption.
After lunch break on the second day.
The participants were trained on monitoring and Evaluation, their differences, purposes and the five level of indicators which are : inputs, process output, outcome and impact.
We were trained on what should be monitored and Evaluated.
What M&E information are used for.

Recommendations:
Youths can play a pivotal role in the fight against corruption because they tend to be more open to wide scale socio-political transformation and have less vested interested in maintaining the status.
Young people are an integral element for the success of a cultural change in attitudes and behaviour towards corruption and shaping of the values of tomorrow since they represent the future of our country.

Conclusion:
Human being have basic needs which they seek to fulfill.when they are denied these needs, conflict might ensue or they’ll be willing to influence by corrupt political leaders and be bribe

Action plans:

YAF are to visit secondary and University and involved international and social media to create awareness.

SI4DEV Uyo location to contain awareness on corruption in their work plan development.

SI4DEV partners and volunteers to hold community meetings in churches,schools and village gathering to create awareness on Corruption.

1. Reported by Mercy James.

SI4DEV volunteer member