It’s rather sad that, much as there is a huge number of youths searching for employment, there are organizations who are lurking and waiting to exploit them. It could be understandable if the organization one finds themselves are struggling, but then not when an organization is adequately funded but chooses to exploits people, youths in particular.

This post is specifically about Youngstars Foundation located in Abuja, an insider’s experience from many months back, which is still trending. A word of advice first of all, if you observe an organization constantly seems to have openings, especially of the same roles and position, then be careful and weary of such organization as that in itself is a bad signal.

This is what Youngstars Foundation does, and I think, many voices should speak up against organizations who don’t do things right, we must also learn not enslave ourselves in the name of searching or needing jobs badly. Some organizations look all well packaged outside but are messy on the inside.

When you apply with youngstars foundation and you are considered for an interview, the text message you receive will specifically tell you how much you will be earning in that position, it could say 80K, 70K, or 60k, whatever. Good right? Because at least you know that if I get this job this is exactly what I would earn and I can begin planning my life around that. WRONG!

During your interview, Youngstars first level of deceit is to tell you that if you do get the job, you will have to do an internship of a month with them as that is their policy and during that month you will only be given transport allowance. Here is the thing, it does not matter whether you have a masters, plus 5 years experience, you will do this internship, they claim they will watch you, while you watch them as well and they will tell you at the end of the month if you are good to go. You think to yourself again, well fair enough, its just 1 month.
You will earn 15k in your 1 month internship!

Now this is where things get even more interesting, let’s say you were told you will earn 80k for the position you applied, you will only start earning this amount another 3 months following your internship month, because you will be paid a percentage of that 80k over the 3 month, so you could be earning something like 45k or thereabouts. The 3 months they claim is your probation.

The question this organization needs to answer include:

Why do you interview people in the first place and tell them to intern with you? An interview is a rating of how qualified a candidate is and if suitable for that position.

Interns are mostly those still in school and looking to gain some experience, why should someone with a masters and years of experience intern with you?

Why should interns work like full staff? Interns work overtime almost every day and are fully involved, Youngstars Open 8am and closes 5pm, many are still around till 7pm. Not a bad thing, but then NGOs have a lot of work?

Why should staff not earn their full promised pay for the position till another 3months?

Why do you ask people continue as an intern to keep earning 15k after their first month, is one month not enough to rate your candidate if they will make a good staff?


NOTE NAIRALANDERS: Some persons continue as interns for up to 3 months or more earning the same 15k, that is minus the 3 months’ probation that will follow.

I don’t know if somebody will not attempt to remove this post, but I hope it stays, what we want to see are organizations doing the right thing. Youngstars is a youth NGO trying to make life better for youths out there through many quite commendable programmes, yet it does not seem to know that charity begins at home. Treat the youths working under you first and stop recycling staff simply because you don’t want to pay them what they are worth and you can afford to.

This organization gets funding for its programmes for UKAID, USAID DFID etc. so it’s not about a struggling organization here people. I could mention the name of the head of the place, but the intention here is not to slander anyone, but to use this platform to correct a system that is not doing the right thing.

This is for you, in case you are considering working with Youngstars foundation, ecerybody has their choice and an understanding of their worth, if you want to take what they offer, it’s your choice, but this system is wrong, it’s an exploitation of the unemployment problem in Nigeria.

Were you given any letter of employment? Or offer?