The Founder of Louis Awode Foundation, Louis Awode, has urged Nigerian youths to embrace volunteerism as a pathway to employability, leadership and community development, saying service can provide practical experience and skills that improve their prospects in a competitive labour market.

He also noted that volunteering should not be viewed merely as an act of giving back to society, but also as an opportunity for young people to acquire workplace experience, build professional networks and develop the personal qualities required by employers.

Awode, who spoke during an online Volunteer Development Workshop organised by the foundation, to encourage young Nigerians to participate actively in community service, urged youths aged 15 to 30 to take advantage of available volunteer opportunities, saying participation in service projects could expose them to practical challenges and responsibilities that formal education alone might not provide.

According to him, volunteering can help young people demonstrate initiative, teamwork, problem-solving and commitment, while building evidence of their ability to contribute meaningfully to organisations and communities.

He said the foundation was willing to collaborate with donors and organisations involved in youth empowerment to expand volunteer opportunities that would enable young Nigerians to contribute to the social, economic and environmental development of their communities.

Leadership coach and development practitioner, Bukunola Ogundele, reinforced the importance of service, urging young people to understand leadership as a responsibility rather than a title.

“Leadership is not about titles. Leadership is about service. The title simply gives you a platform to serve more people,” Ogundele said.

She warned young professionals against seeking leadership positions without first developing the competence and character needed to handle the responsibilities associated with them.

Ogundele said volunteering offered young people an important platform to develop resilience, accountability, confidence and emotional intelligence, qualities that are increasingly valuable in professional and leadership settings.

She said consistent community service could help young people build a record of responsibility and impact, which could subsequently strengthen their applications for employment, fellowships and leadership opportunities.

Career expert, Dr Adewuyi Roseline Adebimpe, said volunteer experience could also give young Nigerians an advantage when seeking international fellowships, scholarships and professional opportunities.

She urged applicants to build and document evidence of their impact, stressing that academic qualifications alone might not be enough to distinguish candidates in an increasingly competitive global environment.“You need to document your impact,” Adebimpe said, advising young people to demonstrate not only where they volunteered but also what changed as a result of their contributions.

The workshop also examined the changing demands of the labour market, with software engineer and artificial intelligence practitioner, Solarin Ayomide, urging young technology professionals to complement technical expertise with communication, leadership and problem-solving skills.

Ayomide advised aspiring artificial intelligence professionals to specialise in specific areas and build portfolios around solving real-world problems rather than simply reproducing existing applications.

Participants also shared reflections on Beyond Service 2026, describing the programme as an avenue for young people to rethink leadership, service and professional development.

Oluwabukunmi Khadijat Bello described the initiative as more than an event, saying it had encouraged young people to combine purpose with service and create lasting change in their communities.