The National Youth Service Corps has urged members of the 2026 Batch ‘C’ Stream I to pay closer attention to their mental health and seek professional support whenever they encounter emotional or psychological difficulties during their service year.
The call was made during a mental health awareness programme organised for the corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Iseyin, Oyo State.
Representing the Assistant Director, Corps Guidance and Counselling, Mrs Omaji Margret, Mrs Kolade C.K. said maintaining good mental health was essential to helping corps members cope with the demands of national service and build healthy relationships.
She noted that adjusting to a new environment, unfamiliar responsibilities and social pressures could create emotional difficulties, particularly when such challenges were not recognised and addressed early.
The corps members were educated on ways of managing stress and dealing with mental health challenges, including depression, prolonged stress and suicidal thoughts.
Omaji advised corps members experiencing difficulties beyond their ability to manage alone to seek help rather than suffer in silence, stressing that asking for assistance should be regarded as a sign of courage and not weakness.
She also encouraged the corps members to look out for one another by listening with empathy, avoiding judgment and directing colleagues showing signs of distress to appropriate professional support. She added that NYSC counsellors at the camp were available to assist members facing personal or psychological challenges.
The NYSC official urged the corps members to treat mental health with the same seriousness as their physical well-being and make self-care a priority throughout their service year, encouraging them to embrace the message, “My mental health matters.”
