Abstract
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Community Development Services (CDS) programme in Nigeria is designed to promote societal development and equip graduates with practical skills. However, opinions differ on how effective the programme is, especially regarding the involvement of corps members and the influence of factors like age, gender, marital status, and educational qualifications. This study looked into the demographic factors that affect graduates’ participation in the CDS programme. Using an electronic questionnaire, data were gathered from 19,278 former corps members from the 2019–2021 cohorts and earlier participants. The questionnaire was reliable, with Cronbach’s alpha values between 0.87 and 0.92. The responses were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including one-sample t-tests, independent t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The results indicated that corps members were more involved in CDS activities than expected. Age, gender, and marital status had no significant influence on participation in CDS activities by corps, but educational qualifications had a significant influence; those with higher qualifications were more involved. These findings can help policymakers, educators, and community organisations design better ways to encourage corps members to engage more effectively in community services, creating a stronger impact in different areas across the country.