The NYSC Orientation camp is arguably the most interesting part of the National Youths service corps program. In this post, I will give you insights and details about the Orientation camp, provide some links that will take you to other important resources and answer some frequently asked questions about the NYSC camp.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is an important program that coordinates young Nigerians for a one-year national service after graduation.
One of the significant components of the NYSC program is the NYSC orientation camp and that is exactly what this post is all about. Ensure you read to the end so you don’t miss any details. [Read also: 55 Things NYSC Members Should Not Leave Home Without]
NYSC Orientation Camp
The NYSC scheme is in four stages, mobilization, online registration, Orientation camp and Place of primary assignment. After the online registration, the management will close the portal as prospective Corps members will be waiting patiently for the NYSC Call-up letter to drop.
You can check out 10 things to expect on Call-up letter printing day to have an idea of what a call-up letter printing day is really like.
After the call-up letter, the next thing is the NYSC Orientation camp which will last for 21 days. And this is it. This is the time that most prospective Corps Members have been waiting for.
The call-up letter will carry the location of your orientation camp and the exact date that you should report. There is also this best guide to locate any NYSC Orientation camp in Nigeria in case you need it.
In the time past, before Covid-19, everybody always resumes the Orientation camp on an exact date. However, since Covid-19 each PCM will have a specific date to report to camp.
You should check out these top 10 Important NYSC terms you must know because those NYSC terms will be useful and used a lot during the Orientation camp.
To avoid embarrassment or some situation where you have to be asking your fellow PCMs what is the meaning of this thing or that thing. So it will be good if you check out that article.
In the orientation camp, there will be a routine for everything. Early morning parades, SAED, reciting of the NYSC anthem and other routines are what you will experience every day. [Read also: 18 Camp Quick Guides For Every Prospective Corp Members (PCMs)]
Orientation Camp Registration
The first day at the NYSC Orientation camp is usually the most stressful just because it’s new to you as it to everybody around you. If you want to know how to avoid the first-day stress, check out the first-day experience at NYSC Orientation camp – what to expect.
The Orientation camp registration will follow. This complete guide for registration procedures in NYSC camp will give you an insight and prepare you for camp registration.
It’s during the registration that you will submit your necessary documents which are the NYSC call-up letter, NYSC green card, your certificate /statement of result, and the medical fitness certificate.
If you are foreign-trained, you will need to submit the necessary documents too. There are 7 things you should never do to your NYSC documents, especially No 1.
Nursing Mothers And Pregnant Women
During the Orientation camp registration, the officials will treat nursing mothers and pregnant women especially. If you are pregnant or nursing a baby, you don’t have to worry about camp queues or camp stresses. Nobody will stress you. In fact, while others are standing, you will be sitting and the staff will attend to you first.
You can check out tips for Nursing and pregnant women during NYSC Orientation camp to see how you can even make the whole NYSC camp easier and completely stressless.
Swearing In
After the camp registration, the management will give you your NYSC full kits. This includes the kaki jacket, kaki trousers, jungle boots, white trainers, a pair of socks, crested vest, face cap, belt, 3 white round necks and 3 white shorts.
The NYSC Orientation camp uniform is white on white with your face cap and your tag all the time. No matter what, you cannot walk outside the hostel without your white on white with face cap and your tag around your neck.
Although there are exemptions on Sundays and Fridays and you will have till 12pm. After 12pm, you must change back to your white.
You can wear your kaki anytime you like and sometimes the officials will ask you to wear full kits or 7/7. The 7/7 is a term for full kits. It means you must wear your crested vest, kaki jacket, kaki trousers, white socks, jungle boots, NYSC belt and face cap. If you count the list, it’s 7 in total.
The next thing is the swearing-in. This is when you will officially become a Corps member and they will no longer refer to you as a prospective Corps Member. After the swearing-in, you are now welcome to NYSC.
Camp Activities
There are a lot of activities at camp and you will enjoy every bit of it. From sports to Mr Macho, to drama and many more. These are the top 10 competitors to expect at NYSC camp and each of them is filled with challenges and motivations.
You can participate in as many as possible and you can choose not to participate and just be a spectator. It’s your choice.
There will be a man o war drilling where you will go through a series of mind-bending and fun exercises. SAED on the other side will make you sit for skills acquisition lectures for hours with no excuse.
There will be festivals where you showcase your traditional and tribal culture. The social night will be on every night for partying and more fun at night. Drama, burn fire night, dance and many more even makes the NYSC Orientation camp more adventurous. Words cannot just describe everything. That is why you have to experience it by yourself.
Feeding
The food is always delicious and nice. This aspect is controversial though because some people think it’s not that good. In fact, some Corps members will prefer to spend money to buy food at mammy Market than eat camp food.
In my own opinion, the food is okay and it’s your right to eat 3 meals per day throughout the 3 weeks of NYSC Orientation camp.
Accommodation And Security
The accommodation is what you should expect for a large number of people. It’s a big hall with normal bunks in it. Beds, wardrobes, and pillows are all available in mass.
The bathrooms and toilets are good depending on how the people in your hostel are using them. And you guys can contribute to paying cleaners on your own to clean it for you.
Water and electricity will be available for everybody. Although not all camp hostels are the same but to an average level, they are all manageable.
Security is very tight and you have no fear of anything. Soldiers are everywhere watching and keeping everything safe. Each orientation camp in Nigeria is always heavily guarded so it’s safe and fully secure.
The NYSC Orientation camp can be stressful but also, but it’s really fun and very interesting and until you experience it, you might not fully understand how the 3 weeks camp is.
The NYSC orientation camp is not just a physical and mental training ground for corps members; it is also an opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
Corps members get to learn new things about the people they will serve and make meaningful connections that can last a lifetime.
In conclusion, the NYSC orientation camp is a mandatory program that every Nigerian graduate must undergo. It is an opportunity for corps members to develop new skills, make friends, and prepare for a challenging yet fulfilling year of national service.
It is, therefore, important that every youth corps member takes the orientation camp seriously and gives their utmost best to make it a memorable and enjoyable experience.
If you have further questions, you can use the comment box below. I will respond to all comments. Thank you for reading.