NYSC
TIPS FOR PROSPECTIVE CORPS MEMBERS
PART
ONE.
There is always a high
relief and growing of higher prospects after handing over your last examination
script as an undergraduate. It calls for a lot of celebration characterized by
highly-spirited ecstasy. The atmosphere gets saturated with a feel of due
accomplishment but in this, another awareness comes to mind which is One Year
National Youth Service, a sacrificial developmental service to our fatherland.
NYSC was created in
1973 with the aim of developing the nation through graduates. Corps members are
posted to states outside their state of origin to breed national unity, harmony
and integration. There is an orientation
period of approximately three weeks spent in the camp away from family and
friends and after which corps members that meet all the requirements will be
posted to their places of primary assignment.
In this article, our
priority is to give prospective corps members the pre-information on the good,
bad and ugly about the NYSC experience. But the good news is that if you can
grab the information in this article, the whole experience will be great for
you and you would never regret it. This article will be subdivided into four
categories namely; before deployment/orientation, inside orientation camp,
after orientation and after service.
Before
Deployment/Orientation: What you should
know.
PREPARATION.
If there is any thing
you should do at this time after your name had been published is to prepare. It
is unfortunate that many use this period to talk about it but only a few
actually plan for it. Early preparation precedes early accomplishment. Being
proactive to discovering the hitches before setting out helps you eliminate the
potentials of anticipated hazards. The P5 principle which
says Proper Preparation/Planning Prevents Poor Performance is very important
because failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Plan your way ahead of others.
What do you need to prepare for?
Package Your Documents
Get all the necessary
documents you need and make at least ten photocopies of each. You need;
i.
Original NYSC call-up letter
ii.
Original School Identity Card
iii.
Original School Result or Statement of
Result
iv.
Passport album (At least eight copies of
recent your passport).
Note: Any tampering
with the original copy of your NYSC Call – Up Letter can lead to cancellation
of your service year, so you must keep it safe. Do not tear it.
It is important you
know that you always have be with a pen
and paper. If possible have up to three writing pens.
Know Yourself
During your days of
waiting for NYSC call up, one thing you must do is to discover yourself.
Discover who you really are. What is your interpersonal relationship level?
Your social interaction level? Your temperaments? Your skills like writing,
drama, singing, co-ordination, leading, among others? You really need this to
effectively enjoy your camping. Reason being that you are going to meet people
from different family, cultural, social, religious, ethnic and educational
backgrounds. These backgrounds
invariably have molded them to who and what they are. Understanding them will not make you to bend
on your principles rather it will help you to manage them. Knowing your
temperaments whether sanguine, choleric, melancholy or phlegmatic will also help
manage your temperament portfolio. You
can easily manage your weaknesses when they come up and also make effective and
efficient use of your strengths. If you are the fighting or angry type, you
have to work on yourself now because it can only fetch you military punishment.
Your skills are
important as they give a better edge over others especially the writing,
reading, sympathy and empathy, co-ordination, leading, drama, comedy,
self-defense skills among others.
Do
you know?
i.
You can write the best article
(1-2pages) which can win you a state or national award?
ii.
You comedy, song and drama during
burn-fire, indomie, Airtel, Etisalat and MTN night can win you an award?
iii.
Your
leadership capacity can set you as a platoon leader?
iv.
Your sympathy and empathy skills can set you
as a welfare co-ordinator?
v.
And many other skills.
All you need do is make the plans now. Start writing
now, start your comedy now among other things you are passionate about.
Know
Your Financial Strength
Some people get miserable on reaching camp due to
financial frustration. Some camps do not have either bank or ATM machine and
for the three or two weeks you are going to stay in camp, you are not to go
out. You must be prepared financially
and you must be a good financial manager.
Some come to camp with more than a hundred thousand naira (N100,000) and within a week, they get
miserable while some go with ten thousand naira (N10,000) or less and they will manage it for the specified
duration.
Remember, there is No ATM machine, NO Bank and No
Going Out
Items
You Need To Go With To Camp
Most people get frustrated at the camp gate due to
what they are carrying. Some carry all their belongings which are not allowed.
What
do I need to take?
i.
Few clothing especially your white tops
and down and your white snickers or trainers (shoe). These are the only clothes
that are allowed in camp together with your corps uniform that will be issued
to you after registration. Every other Christmas cloth will not be permitted so
why carry them?
ii.
Your cosmetics.
iii.
Your documents.
iv.
Finance. Make sure that you take enough money that will sustain you.
Possible things that need your
money.
i.
Snapshots
ii.
Books (and browsing for free online articles)
iii.
Registration
iv.
Photocopies
v.
Extra
feeding
vi.
Others
like trainings
What I need NOT to carry.
i.
Laptops.
ii.
Foodstuffs.
iii.
Christmas
clothing.
iv.
Kitchen
utensils.
v.
Clippers.
vi.
Sharp
objects.
vii.
Electrical
appliances except your phone.
Note:
These items will not pass the camp gate and most often, they are irretrievably
gone.
Write
Down The Plan
The one year national youth service is one that you
will never have again if you are done with it. It will be irretrievably gone. But
it is quite unfortunate that many waste this precious time while some spend the
time and others invest the time. There are two critical things about this time.
First, it can either be a year of personal reinvestment. You can decide to make/build
yourself through personal, professional and entrepreneurial development. Second, you can decide to destroy yourself by completely wasting your precious
time and regret later.
What
are you to write down?
i.
Personal
plan
Write down your personal developmentplan and governing policy. How do you
want to reinvest yourself? Is it by reading, skills acquisition,
entrepreneurship among others, write them down. Also make sure you write your
personal governing policy for example in the aspects of self-discipline.
Discipline your body, your mouth, your eyes and all that is within you so that
you do not sell off your destiny. Any act of fornication in camp, sends you
home and that cancels your NYSC appointment. In your personal governing policy,
clearly write down the things You Can
And Cannot Do. In your personal development plan, write down the number of
books you want to read and their names if possible, the number of skills you
want to acquire among others. But make sure you write the plan and make it
plane on papers, read them and configure your mind and body to accomplish them.
ii.
Professional plan
I decided to single this out because it
is very important and not all know about it. The wave of professionalism is
strongly revolutionalizing this present age and it is good you join the trend
on time. The best and less expensive platform for professional empowerment is
NYSC professional affiliates certifying you with little or nothing. Courses
that would have cost you thousands of naira as a non-corps member would only
cost you a few naira and you will get the same certificate. Such professional
certificates in Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Project Management
Professional (PMP), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Oilfield Facility
Management (OFM), Transport and Logistics Management (TLM), Professional Human
Resource (PHR), among others. Write down the ones that will empower you and
plan for them. Most corps members claiming to save money end up wasting or
spending the money injudiciously. Invest your money and time to professional empowerment
through professional certifications, trainings and conferences and you would be
happy you did.
Why do you have to plan for it?
Many reasons;
1. To
help your employer locate you easily.
2. To
make you outstandingly different in the labour market.
3. To
build on a specialized skill, knowledge and competence.
4. To
build your professional network and portfolio.
5. Helps
you become proactive, innovative and inventive (creative).
6. Sets
you on entrepreneurial pace.
7. Helps
you discover your real worth in the labour market
8. And
lots more.
Note: There are some training
bodies that are not certified, so you must be sure of this so that you do not
waste your money and time. Always search for ones that have internationalaffiliations and recognition.
Thanks
for reading our update. If you find this informative, please do share with your
friends. For more information and support, contact us on bntconsortium@gmail.com or call
+2347062628598.
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next update will be featuring inside
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