Theatre for Youth Development: Professional Programme Design for Adolescent Beneficiaries in Nasarawa State

This study examines professional programme design for theatre-based youth development initiatives targeting adolescents in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. Theatre for Youth Development (TYD) uses drama as a structured vehicle for building life skills, social competencies, and civic awareness among young people. The research investigates how organisations implementing TYD programmes in Lafia, Keffi, and Akwanga design their intervention frameworks, train facilitators, and measure developmental outcomes among adolescent participants. Data were collected through interviews with programme directors, youth facilitators, and adolescent participants, supplemented by review of programme curricula and evaluation reports. The study finds that TYD programmes in Nasarawa State demonstrate significant positive outcomes in participants' communication skills, conflict resolution capacities, and civic knowledge. However, the research identifies inconsistencies in facilitator training quality and the absence of standardised outcome measurement tools as constraints on programme effectiveness. The study concludes that professional programme design for TYD must incorporate rigorous facilitator training, adaptive cultural content, and robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks. Keywords: theatre for youth development, programme design, adolescent beneficiaries, Nasarawa State, life skills.