In the last 5 years, The Bridge Leadership Foundation (TBLF) has committedly engaged students in public secondary schools across the 18 LGAs in Cross River State to inculcate in them, the essential leadership and life skills required to become transformational leaders through the Leadership and Community Development (LCD) programme initiated in 2014.
LCD is a youth focused, youth led and youth implemented programme, designed for young persons between 12-18 years as a model for teaching leadership and community development skills and culture in public secondary schools in Nigeria. It usually engages young volunteers who are passionate about leadership and community development. These volunteers are trained to deliver the curriculum consisting of 13 Modules over a minimum period of six (6) weeks. LCD is a deliberate intention created to build the people and community oriented leader that Nigeria needs for today and the future.
The LCD programme involves a one day training tour of cross section of students from all public schools in selected LGAs, six weeks in-depth training of students in selected schools, student’s participation in community service/projects and a one year academic scholarship award to 30 students across participating schools for a particular year. The 2018 LCD themed “Dare to Lead” is implemented in 5 LGAs – Abi, Etung, Obanliku, Obudu and Yala of Cross River State. More than 600 students from 78 public secondary schools benefited from the one-day training in a tour which started on Monday, September 24, 2018 in Abi, moved to Etung, Obanliku, Obudu and ended in Yala on Friday, September 28, 2018. At each location, the training focused on self-awareness, career planning, goal setting, leadership and community responsibility.
This year, the one-day training is immediately followed by 6 weeks training in 15 secondary schools across the 5 LGAs. The LCD curriculum teaches students on self-esteem, creativity and innovation, vision, values and ethics, communication, teamwork, hygiene, leadership, time management, community service, and accountability and integrity. A total of 450 students will benefit from the 6 weeks training and 30 outstanding students will be selected to receive one year academic scholarship during The Bridge Scholarship Award in Calabar later in the year. The LCD programme is implemented in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and endorsed by the Ministry of Education in Cross River State.
Upon completion of the 2018 LCD Programme, TBLF would have impacted learning and leadership skills in over 3,500 students and supported 110 students on a one year academic scholarship in Cross River State. Drawing from the gains of the programme, we hope to work with more partners to reach more students in other communities and states.
The 2018 LCD tour was led by TBLF Executive Secretary, Uchenna Achunine, with other staff and volunteers of the Foundation.
