Correlation Between Life Skills Counselling and Youth Empowerment among Secondary School Students in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria

This study investigated the relationship between life skills counselling and youth empowerment among secondary school students in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised Senior Secondary School II (SS II) students in public secondary schools in Maiduguri Metropolis, while a sample of 400 students was selected through a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled Life Skills Counselling and Youth Empowerment Questionnaire (LSCYEQ). The instrument was subjected to face and content validation by experts, while a reliability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained using Cronbach's Alpha. Data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC), with the hypotheses tested at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that secondary school students reported a generally favourable level of life skills counselling, particularly in evaluating alternatives before acting, making better academic decisions, and developing confidence in making choices. The findings also indicated a generally high level of youth empowerment, particularly in leadership skills, employment-related skills, goal attainment, independent decision-making, and management of personal and academic life. Furthermore, the findings established a significant positive relationship between decision-making skills counselling and youth empowerment (r = .531, p < .05), communication skills counselling and youth empowerment (r = .679, p < .05), and overall life skills counselling and youth empowerment (r = .547, p < .05). The study concluded that life skills counselling is significantly associated with youth empowerment among secondary school students in Maiduguri Metropolis. It was recommended that school authorities and educational policymakers strengthen guidance and counselling services by providing adequate professional counsellors, functional counselling facilities, and structured life skills programmes focusing on decision-making, communication, interpersonal relations`hips, problem-solving, resilience, and leadership development.