As a young Nigerian, I find it difficult to discuss ambition without discussing the environment in which we are expected to succeed. We tell people to be responsible, learn skills and work hard. Good advice. But what happens when education is disrupted, useful guidance is missing and even the first opportunity seems beyond reach? I still believe in effort. I also believe those who encourage young people should be prepared to offer something more useful than encouragement alone.
Give information that can be acted on
An opportunity shared without an original source, clear requirements, or a deadline may create more confusion than progress. Useful guidance helps someone understand the actual next step. It also explains when an opportunity is unsuitable, instead of suggesting that every opening is a chance that must be pursued.
A person offering support does not need to know everything. They can help verify a notice, review a paragraph, explain an unfamiliar process, or point towards a relevant office. Small actions become meaningful when they remove a specific obstacle. The value lies in the obstacle removed, rather than the importance of the person providing the help.
Make feedback honest and manageable
Praise alone can leave a young person unsure what to improve. Harsh criticism can have the same result if it is vague. Saying that an application is poor does not explain whether the problem is evidence, structure, relevance, or grammar. A useful reviewer identifies a few changes that the applicant can realistically make.
Imagine a student asking for help with a personal statement. Rewriting the whole document in an unfamiliar voice may produce something polished but leave the student dependent. Explaining why the opening is weak, asking for a concrete example, and reviewing the revision can teach a skill that remains useful after that particular application closes.
Support should also leave room for different starting points. Someone with reliable internet, professional contacts, and time to volunteer has options that another person may not have. Recognising those differences does not remove the need for effort. It helps us avoid confusing unequal access with unequal seriousness or ability.
Practical support can also involve sharing a failed attempt honestly. Explaining why a document needed revision may teach more than displaying only the successful version. The example should remain relevant and respectful of privacy. It can show that competence develops through specific improvements, while avoiding a promise that copying another person's route will necessarily produce the same result for everybody.
Build relationships that allow questions
Young people should be able to admit that they do not understand something. An environment where every question risks ridicule encourages people to hide uncertainty. Mentors can set reasonable boundaries around their time while still making those boundaries clear. A short, dependable conversation may be more valuable than repeated promises of unlimited availability.
The useful question for anyone wanting to help is simple: what can this person do after our conversation that they could not do before it? Perhaps they can assess an opportunity, revise a document, or make a better decision. That is a stronger outcome than leaving them briefly inspired and still unsure where to begin. Encouragement deserves practical company.
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