About SCD Nigeria — Who We Are, Mission and Values

Our Organisation

Supporting Young People to Thrive

Society for Community Development (SCD) is a community-focused organisation dedicated to supporting the wellbeing, development, and safety of children and young people. We work in collaboration with families, schools, and community stakeholders to provide guidance, supervision, and structured support for young people at a critical stage of their lives.

Our services focus primarily on children and young people aged 11–18 years. This is a period of profound social, emotional, and educational development, and one in which timely, compassionate, and skilled support can make an enduring difference to the trajectory of a young person's life.

Through structured programmes and supportive interventions, we help young people build confidence, develop life skills, overcome challenges, and engage positively with their families, schools, and communities. Every young person who engages with SCD is treated with dignity, respect, and compassion — and supported to reach their full potential in a safe and nurturing environment.

Founded in 1995, SCD has grown from a single-state initiative into an organisation operating across eleven Nigerian states, with a team of dedicated staff and volunteers committed to positive change for children and young people every day.

SCD Nigeria staff supporting young people

SCD staff work with families, schools, and communities to ensure every young person has the support they need to thrive.

Mission Statement

"Our mission is to create a supportive and safe environment where young people can develop resilience, achieve their potential, and become responsible members of their communities."

Society for Community Development — Est. 1995

Our Vision

A Nigeria in which every child and young person, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to the support, guidance, and opportunities they need to grow into a confident, capable, and contributing member of society.

What Our Mission Means in Practice

Turning Commitment Into Action

Our mission is not simply a statement — it is the principle that shapes every programme we design, every interaction between a staff member and a young person, and every decision we make as an organisation. When we say we are committed to creating a supportive and safe environment, we mean that every space in which SCD operates is one where young people feel heard, respected, and protected.

Developing Resilience

Life for many of the young people SCD supports is not without its challenges — family difficulties, economic pressures, educational setbacks, and emotional struggles are realities our staff encounter every day. Our programmes equip young people with practical tools for managing adversity: building emotional regulation skills, developing positive relationships, and learning to navigate challenges with confidence rather than despair.

Achieving Potential

We reject any notion that a young person's background, circumstances, or past behaviours define their future. Every individual who engages with SCD is supported to identify their strengths, set meaningful goals, and take steps towards achieving them — in education, in their personal lives, and in their communities.

Responsible Community Members

SCD's work is ultimately about contributing to a healthier, more cohesive society. We help young people understand their place in and responsibility towards their communities — encouraging empathy, cooperation, civic awareness, and positive engagement with the world around them.

Our Values

The Principles That Guide Everything We Do

These seven values are not aspirational slogans — they are the lived standards that every SCD staff member, volunteer, and partner is expected to uphold in every interaction, programme, and decision. They reflect what we believe about young people and what they deserve.

Respect and Dignity

Every child and young person is treated as an individual with inherent worth and dignity, regardless of their background, behaviour, or circumstances. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of respectful interaction — listening actively, communicating honestly, and never diminishing the humanity of those in our care. Respect is not earned by young people at SCD; it is unconditionally given.

Safety and Safeguarding

The safety of every child and young person in our care is our absolute, non-negotiable priority. SCD operates a rigorous safeguarding framework that governs all aspects of our work. Every staff member is trained to recognise, respond to, and report concerns about the welfare of young people. A young person who feels unsafe cannot learn, grow, or thrive — so safety is the foundation on which all of our work rests.

Empowerment

We believe in the capacity of every young person to change, grow, and succeed. SCD's programmes are designed to build agency, confidence, and self-belief — helping young people move from passive recipients of support to active architects of their own futures. Empowerment means giving young people a voice in decisions that affect them, and ensuring that support never creates dependency but instead fosters independence and self-determination.

Compassion and Care

The young people SCD supports often carry significant personal burdens — trauma, loss, family instability, and social disadvantage. Compassion is not simply a disposition; it is a professional skill that our staff develop and maintain throughout their careers. We approach each young person with patience, empathy, and genuine care — holding space for difficulty while always believing in the possibility of positive change.

Collaboration and Partnership

No organisation working with children and young people can succeed in isolation. SCD actively builds and maintains partnerships with families, schools, community leaders, government agencies, and other civil society organisations. We believe that the most effective support for a young person involves the whole of their community working together in a coordinated, respectful, and goal-focused way.

Integrity and Transparency

We hold ourselves accountable to the young people we serve, to the families who trust us, and to the wider community. SCD operates with complete transparency in its practice, finances, and governance. Our staff are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of professional and personal integrity — being honest about what works, acknowledging mistakes, and continuously improving our approach based on evidence and feedback.

Inclusion and Equality

SCD is committed to providing equitable support to all children and young people, without discrimination on the grounds of gender, religion, ethnicity, disability, family background, or any other characteristic. We recognise that inequality of opportunity is itself a barrier to the development and wellbeing of young people, and we actively work to reduce that inequality through targeted, culturally sensitive, and inclusive programming. Every young person in Nigeria deserves the chance to thrive — and SCD exists to help make that a reality.

Our Services

What SCD Provides

Through a range of structured programmes and direct services, SCD provides holistic support that addresses the educational, emotional, social, and practical needs of children and young people aged 11–18 across Nigeria.

Direct Support Services

One-to-one and group mentoring for young people aged 11–18
Emotional and behavioural guidance and therapeutic support
Educational assistance and learning encouragement
Life skills development workshops and group sessions
Residential childcare and overnight supervision
Structured day programmes and structured activities
Crisis support and emergency welfare intervention

Community and Partnership Services

Family support and engagement sessions
Safeguarding awareness training for schools and communities
Community outreach and engagement initiatives
Partnership work with schools, government, and NGOs
Referral pathways to specialist health and welfare services
Advocacy for children's rights and welfare at state level
Capacity building for community stakeholders and volunteers

Our Reach

Operating Across 11 Nigerian States

Since our founding in 1995, SCD has steadily expanded its reach across Nigeria — guided always by evidence of need and the invitation of local communities to partner with us. Today, we operate in eleven states spanning the north, south, east, and west of the country.

Each state team operates with an understanding of local culture, community dynamics, and the specific challenges facing young people in that region. Our national framework provides consistency of quality and standards, while our local teams ensure that programmes are always relevant, respectful, and responsive to the communities they serve.

We are committed to deepening our impact in existing states and to extending our reach to new communities where children and young people are in need of the support SCD provides.

11 States

6 Geopolitical Zones

Kano State

North West — One of Nigeria's most populous states, with a strong focus on youth mentoring and community engagement.

Kaduna State

North West — Supporting young people across urban and rural communities in this economically significant state.

Niger State

North Central — Nigeria's largest state by area, where SCD provides essential services to dispersed communities.

Kebbi State

North West — Focused on educational support and life skills for young people in rural and semi-urban settings.

Borno State

North East — Working with young people affected by displacement and instability in this resilient community.

Adamawa State

North East — Supporting young people and families navigating complex social and environmental challenges.

Kogi State

North Central — A confluence state where SCD supports young people across diverse cultural and linguistic communities.

Edo State

South South — Providing safeguarding, mentoring, and community care to young people in this southern state.

Akwa-Ibom State

South South — A long-standing SCD presence supporting youth development in this coastal and culturally rich state.

Ebonyi State

South East — Working alongside families and schools to strengthen support networks for young people.

FCT Abuja

Federal Capital Territory — SCD's national coordination hub, where our central team works alongside federal institutions and partners to strengthen our national impact and advocacy for children and young people across Nigeria.

Our Journey

Three Decades of Growth

From our founding in 1995, SCD has grown steadily in reach, expertise, and impact — always guided by our commitment to the young people of Nigeria.

1995

Organisation Founded

SCD was established to provide structured community support for children and young people in its first state of operation, driven by a recognition that young people needed dedicated, community-grounded services.

2003

Multi-State Expansion

Following sustained demand and demonstrated impact, SCD extended its work across multiple northern Nigerian states, developing the regional model and state-level teams that underpin our operations today.

2010

Southern Nigeria Reach

SCD extended its operations into southern Nigeria, establishing teams in Edo, Akwa-Ibom, and Ebonyi states and further developing its national safeguarding framework and professional training standards.

2025

National Presence

Today SCD operates in eleven states, with over 200 staff and volunteers, a comprehensive suite of youth programmes, and a growing reputation as one of Nigeria's most trusted organisations supporting children and young people.

About Society for Community Development