The Importance of Volunteers to a Community

This research essay considers the possibility of whether or not requiring American youth to volunteer is a good idea. I tried staying objective in my argument by using reliable sources to cultivate a reasonable solution the sources I sought out the most were studies that emphasized my points. Ultimately, I believe that it would be beneficial to the community and the development of young adults to be required to complete some amount of community service Serving Our Community.  In every community, there are a number of opportunities to give back and enhance the lives of everyone within it. Whether these opportunities are seized through cleaning up a park or reading to children, these are activities that can be used to build a young person‘s character while benefiting the community as a whole. There are people in every community who are less fortunate than others and those within the community who are more than capable of lending a helping hand.

However, when asked to help or share a few hours of their time, excuses start flying. Requiring community service could help communities create critically thinking philanthropic young adults and stronger community bonds. There are many ways to volunteer for a community through helping others and working towards creating a better environment. A popular excuse is that they cannot find the opportunities or that the opportunities are too far from where they live. My favorite way to get out there and help is by getting friends together who want to make a difference and finding ways to make that difference. For example) a friend of mine put together a hike/clean-up day on the weekend where we hiked in Sierra Madre at Hermit Falls and spent the day hanging out. On the hike back down, we had garbage bags and gloves to clean up the trail of messes left behind by others.

In this way, we were able to have a good time with all of our friends while giving back to the community. If there are no opportunities to be found, create opportunities to make a difference. Peter Levine, Tufts University’s research director of their Citizenship and Public Service department, explains why he supports the “Serve America Act of 2008i” He highlights two of the most important sections of involving 250,000 Americans in this call to service and combining education with community service. At the end of Levine‘s introduction, he asks an important question, “Does an expanded civilian service initiative with these priorities merit government support?” This is an important question to ask us, making sure that enforcing community service is something worthy of debate. There are a lot of reasons people think that community service is a waste of time and effort, resulting in the belief that the government would be wasting resources in attempting to call the public to serve.

Order custom essay The Importance of Volunteers to a Community with free plagiarism report

450+ experts on 30 subjects Starting from 3 hours delivery

Get Essay Help

The true belief that one individual is incapable of making a difference is something frequently said by peers of mine This belief can be countered by likening an individual to a pebble being tossed in water, the ripples of change spreading further and further. Volunteering for each community is an important responsibility that lies on the shoulders of each citizen. In his commencement address at Wesleyan University, Barack Obama discusses the high importance of volunteering and giving back to the community He states the values that helped him shape his view on community service were “hard work, honesty, and empathy”. These were instilled in him as a child and nurtured in college by peers and teachers, leading him to become more active as a young adult in trying to make a difference Obama acknowledges the difficulties in volunteering but that it is still our duty to help, “Because our individual salvation depends on collective salvation”.

In order to add to the greater good, individuals must seek within themselves the goods that they want to see in the world, It s not only for the benefit of the community but also to create individuals who see the difficulties in the world and do not turn the other cheek. It is an obligation on the shoulders of each moral individual to help those in need, an obligation that is often overlooked, Actively becoming involved in community service creates a stronger community as a whole. In a study conducted by a representative from Points of Light, a nonprofit organization, to determine how volunteering has positive effects through the interpretation of previous studies and research conducted. One part of the study addresses the positive ways that volunteering has been a key benefit towards creating stronger community bonds, “.people feel stronger connection to community, more strength of his/her connection to the community, as represented by the strength of feelings toward the community, including attachment, awareness, and commitment. Through this study, it is found that through those volunteering their time, they are creating a community where others are proud to be citizens.

It is within the name that what is being benefited the most is the community; however, not only does volunteering for community service benefit the community, but also the individuals serving the community. There are a number of personal benefits for volunteers to experience when contributing to the community a simple Google search of “benefits of volunteering” will result in pages of articles listing the many mental and physical health benefits, However, according to Levine, “There is evidence that teaching young people about civic and political issues increases the odds that they will discuss such issues, join groups, volunteer, and vote later in life”. The importance of young people being aware of political issues and discussing these things could not be more important for the development of the government. Creating volunteer work that encourages and immerses young people to become politically aware follows the idea that more young people will demand change for the better.

A generation of young people who habitually volunteer and discuss the important issues could be exactly what the country, and/or world, needs. There are those who believe that requiring community service from students will lead to continued volunteer involvement as they grow into adulthood A study conducted by two volunteer nonprofit organizations found that those who volunteered when they were younger were more likely to continue volunteering as adults. “Two-thirds of the 44 percent of adults who volunteer were volunteers as young adults”. This is solid evidence that more adults, who were exposed to volunteering when they were younger, are more likely to stay involved and active in community service. This is a huge deal because adults who volunteer are also more likely to encourage the children they have to volunteer.

In many arguments against requiring community service being volunteered by young adults, there is the potential lack of time for more important responsibilities such as schoolwork. Fearful that forcing young people to dedicate part of their time to community service will lead to a lack of commitment to their studies and grades, there is a lack of enthusiasm for the propositions However, it was found in a study on the correlation between students who perform acts of volunteerism and their studies that it was actually a beneficial commitment. “Schmidt et all (2007) found that participation in service of any kind was associated with a 12% increase in student grades". Contrary to popular belief, although student volunteers are limited in their available time, giving part of that free time to the community will actually help them. The potential reason behind this statistic is that volunteering teaches young people how to manage their time and teaches them resource skills.

In this way, they are better prepared to be productive workers when faced with the realities of the real world Journalist, Thomas E, Ricks, outlines a reasonable draft option for graduating high school students. He proposes a new draft that includes both genders but with three options to choose from. The first option is to commit to “18 months of military service with low pay but excellent post-service benefits, including free college tuition”. This option involves completing tasks that require little skill such as painting, driving, and other outsourced jobs which would save the government a great deal of money. This option also includes the option to continue to serve and become a professional soldier where pay and benefits will improve.

The second option would include the same amount of pay as the first option; however, the tasks would involve “teaching in low»income areas, cleaning parks, rebuilding crumbling infrastructure, or aiding the elderly”. This option would also last longer, two years, but would eventually result in the same benefits as the eighteen-month service. Lastly, the option to refuse to become involved would be accepted but result in not having government benefits made available to those who choose this option it would allow time for high school graduates to further mature while helping their country in a meaningful way. However, a starting solution could be the requirement of a set amount of hours each high school year where students can have an array of choices provided by the high school. In this way, I believe, that more students might be more certain of the choice they are making as they transition into adulthood.

Also, giving them the choice of what they want to spend their time volunteering for will help create more enthusiasm and appeal to their interests Serving the community is a small step towards creating a more livable world. The argument is not whether community service is beneficial, but whether or not it should be required from our young citizens The requirement of community service could teach many beneficial skills such as time management and good communication that could otherwise be overlooked. However, merely creating this requirement will not generate these things alone, it is most important to implement this requirement in the most effective way possible. Through this requirement and efficient execution, young people and the community will both benefitr.

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Run a free check or have your essay done for you

Check my essay Hire Writer