Junior Chamber Empowers Youths With Skills

Junior Chamber International (JCI) Aso, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has commenced its third annual Membership Development Summit (MDS) 3.0, aiming to equip over 100 members and the youth of Abuja with essential skills for personal and professional development.

Speaking at the summit yesterday in Abuja, the president of JCI Aso, Yetunde Adebisi, emphasised the organisation’s renewed focus on its members’ development post-COVID-19.

“Our focus has always been on community impact, but we realized that everything we do should also significantly benefit our members. Hence, we instituted the annual Membership Development Summit to address their needs,” she said.

She stated that at the beginning of the year, a survey was conducted among members to identify their training needs. The top five areas identified were public speaking, time management and productivity, digital skills and technology, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurship and business expertise.

She furthermore called on the government to enhance sensitization efforts about existing opportunities, especially in technology, to help the public tap into these resources effectively.

Adebisi highlighted the importance of mentorship within the organisation. “We pride ourselves on the wealth of knowledge possessed by our older members. They mentor us, guiding us through life’s challenges,” she noted.

She reiterated that the summit was designed to benefit all members of the local organisation, as well as new and prospective members. The programme will run throughout the year, with experts providing step-by-step guidance to achieve the set goals.

Also, the chairperson of MDS 3.0, Ramatu Suleiman, stressed the purpose of the summit. “We discovered that members pay dues, attend conferences, and participate in projects. We thought, why not give back to our members through training? This led to the creation of the Membership Development Summit for 2024,” she said.

Suleiman reiterated the inclusion of public speaking, emotional intelligence, time management and productivity, digital technology, entrepreneurship, and mentoring as the focus areas for this year’s summit. “MDS 3.0 is not just for our members; we are opening the doors for youths in Abuja to attend. Youths are the future of Nigeria,” she said.

Also, entrepreneur and business expert Ade Kola Mustapha, a JCI  member for nearly 40 years, expressed his excitement about the summit’s turnout and the quality of the programmes. “Seeing close to 100 members in attendance today is incredible. The future looks bright for the youths in this country, and I am very proud and impressed,” he said.