Enhancing Community Engagement in Oasis of Hope Church, Ikotun, Lagos, through a Context-Specific Mentoring Program

This study aimed to address the various vulnerabilities confronting youth in the Ikotun area of Lagos by reviewing the mentorship program of the Oasis of Hope Worship Center (OHWC), Ikotun, Lagos. Using a qualitative case-study approach, data were collected through purposive sampling of church stakeholders. The research methods adopted were semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. Triangulated analysis produced thematic findings about the existing informal mentorship structures, program efficiencies and deficiencies, causes of gaps, desired program features, and anticipated community benefits. Findings show that OHWC possesses a relational and spiritually rooted mentoring foundation, but that impact is limited by a lack of formal structure, inadequate mentor training, and insufficient linkages to vocational and community resources. Participants anticipated that a strengthened, structured mentorship model would enhance youth empowerment, family stability, and broader social transformation. Building on these insights, the study proposes a bespoke mentorship framework—integrating transformational and servant leadership with practical life skill training, peer mentoring, mentor capacity building, community partnerships, and digitized monitoring—to institutionalize sustainable mentorship and support long-term community transformation. Recommendations and an implementation/monitoring plan are provided to guide replication in similar faith-based settings.