Contextual factors influencing gender participation in Young Christian Student’s movement in NERKWO zone: Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, Kenya

Abstract

The Roman Catholic Church (RCC) as part of its evangelization and mentorship of the youth of both gender equally in their faith formation and leadership skills, established Young Christian Students’ Movement (Y.C.S) in secondary schools globally. The movement is aimed at transforming the students between the ages of fourteen and seventeen who are going through their crucial formative years as teens. The focus of this study was to examine contextual factors influencing gender participation in Y.C.S in Nerkwo Zone, Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives: First, to investigate the extent to which students per gender participate in Y.C.S movement in Nerkwo Zone; second, to examine the factors that influence students to join Y.C.S in Nerkwo Zone; and third, to propose strategies by means of which the Youth Department in the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret can effectively attract gender balance in the Y.C.S movement. The study was informed by the Nurture theories that explain gender differences in religion. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches as well as descriptive and cross- sectional designs were used in conducting the study. In order to establish gender participation, six out of the nine mixed secondary schools in the zone were purposefully selected for the study. Using Fisher’s formula, 207 out of 681 Y.C.S members were randomly selected. The study also targeted six Y.C.S patrons, two chaplains and two staff members of the Youth Department in the C.D.E all of whom were purposively sampled. Primary data was collected using interview schedules, focus group discussion (FGD) guides and questionnaires. Secondary data was also collected from available literature, namely, magazines, books, journals and records from the youth office in the diocese. Responses from the open-ended items in the questionnaire and the semi-structured items in the interviews and FGDs were coded, transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using thematic approach while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data was interpreted and presented alongside quantitative data to give convergent findings. Analyzed data was presented using frequency tables, percentages, pie charts and graphs. The study found out that the trend of participation of boys compared to girls in all the forms in the studied schools was poor. On average, boys score (34.2%) while girls score (61.8%). Inferential statistic was used to test the null hypothesis (H o ) which was stating that there were no factors influencing student participation in Y.C.S in Nerkwo zone. The null hypothesis was rejected. The study established that members joined the movement through personal choice, influence of their family members, friends, Y.C.S leaders and religious leaders. The study proposed development and promotion of meaningful and diversified Y.C.S programmes. The study also recommended that the Youth department should create new zones for convenience in terms of participation of schools since some of them are geographically located far apart from each other. The movement should also come up with measures for implementing two-third gender rule for leadership to curb over dominance of girls in the leadership positions in the movement. There is also need for more priests/chaplains to attend to students.