Initiative underway: Young Nigerian kicks off drive to log 1,000 hours of volunteer work for pupils

A young Nigerian, Truth Osumareton Egbe, has initiated #Project1000CareerSessions, a nationwide campaign aimed at accumulating 1,000 volunteer hours from professionals to provide students and recent graduates with safe and judgment-free career guidance.

The campaign is a response to the growing concern that young Nigerians lack trusted spaces to discuss their career plans, with students fearing to speak to lecturers due to vulnerability being exploited, and young employees hesitant to seek guidance from employers who may prioritize organisational interests over their personal growth.

Recent online debates have highlighted the need for accessible career support, with the rise of paid mentorship programmes making career support inaccessible for many, prompting Egbe to call on professionals, lecturers, employers, and policymakers to help create practical and accessible career-support systems for young Nigerians.

Egbe is also urging the government to integrate career coaching and career education into university curricula and the NYSC programme, allowing students to speak openly about their career plans without fear or bias, and enabling them to make informed decisions and build meaningful careers.

According to Egbe, when young people receive the right guidance early, they are more likely to contribute effectively to national development, and with the campaign's immediate response, over 100 hours were raised within hours of opening the volunteer form, and over 200 hours within days from professionals across various fields.

The student booking form has received responses from about 15 states across Nigeria, indicating a nationwide need for accessible and unbiased career conversations, with students being matched with professionals working in their desired fields, and those unsure of their path paired with someone who successfully navigated life after school.

Egbe's inspiration for the initiative stemmed from her own experience of speaking with professionals who helped her understand her options when she was starting out, and realising that many young Nigerians do not have the same access, prompting her to create a simple way for others to experience similar support.

The campaign, which is still ongoing, aims to match 1,000 students with 1,000 professionals in their fields by April 2026, with Egbe actively seeking professionals willing to volunteer one hour to speak with a student, as well as students and recent graduates who would like to speak with someone for one hour about their career plans.