Sorry, I don't know how to create the 1-6 poll on this... sorry! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
"All citizens should be required to perform a specified amount of public service. Such service would benefit not only the country as a whole but also the individual participants."
Public service benefits society and individuals in myriad ways; it fosters a sense of personal and community pride, develops empathy, and creates a sense of well-being and gratitude to one's own circumstances in life. Additionally, the community or individuals they help are being presented the opportunity to improve their communities or lives in ways they may not have been able to do on their own. While some may argue that it is not the government's responsibility or right to create public service requirements of its citizens, all governments require their citizens to fulfill various social obligations that it deems necessary for the good of the nation and its people, such as requiring children to go to school. To dismiss the idea that public service should be required because it is inconvenient, unnecessary, or out of the realm of government authority, is to ignore the constructive, holistic benefits created when citizens help each other, and society.
When a person works with at-risk youth, they are doing far more for the children than merely tutoring or mentoring. Often, these children come from unstable homes and communities and their learning environment is chaotic. I used to belong to a rugby club that coached at-risk children, and the difference we made in their lives was palpable. Often, the kids were angry and distrustful when they first joined. They desperately wanted to be a part of something, but had no faith that the club wouldn't ultimately reject or disappoint them. They wanted to feel love and approval from authority figures, but felt persecuted and misunderstood, and weren't sure why we would be any different. Slowly, the kids became used to the routine, structure, and discipline of training, and the adults in their lives that were strict, but also encouraging, fun, and supportive. While there were occasional set-backs, (like one child stealing from another, or some sort of tantrum or outburst), ultimately almost 100% of the kids that we coached ended up with higher self-esteem, better grades, and far fewer behavioral problems.
The effect of helping these children helped to create a better environment in their communities as well. Often, the kids would encourage their friends to join the club, and then their friends would benefit. Further, those children felt even more bonded, and would encourage each other in positive ways within the community. Drug use and truancy went down amongst the kids involved, as the consequences now involved non-participation in the club. Coaches spoke to the kids about collegiate rugby scholarships and suddenly kids who never thought they could go to college were researching collegiate opportunities. They spoke to their friends who, in turn, got involved. The club even took a team of girls to Hong Kong to participate in an international tournament. Watching these kids transform from the angry, desperate adolescents they were to the hopeful, productive, college-bound teens they became was an incredibly rich experience for me, and the rest of the coaches, but far more than that, we helped these kids see the world in a different way, and they, in turn, improved their communities by example.
Government makes many demands on its people, from school attendance, to registering births and deaths, to paying taxes that pay for roads and social services. The concept that citizenship requires responsibility is not a new one. National public service requirements would become a sense of unity and pride for citizens, and help develop the sense that everyone has contributed to the well-being of the nation. Citizens would feel more empathy for others, as they would have worked with communities and individuals that are different from themselves. While there may be some resistance to any sort of compulsory behavior mandated by the government, in time, I believe most people would endorse a public service mandate, much like most people endorse the requirement that children obtain up to a high school education. Public service requirements would create more unified communities and happier and more productive citizens. The end result would benefit the individual, the community, and the nation, as a whole.
"All citizens should be required to perform a specified amount of public service. Such service would benefit not only the country as a whole but also the individual participants."
Public service benefits society and individuals in myriad ways; it fosters a sense of personal and community pride, develops empathy, and creates a sense of well-being and gratitude to one's own circumstances in life. Additionally, the community or individuals they help are being presented the opportunity to improve their communities or lives in ways they may not have been able to do on their own. While some may argue that it is not the government's responsibility or right to create public service requirements of its citizens, all governments require their citizens to fulfill various social obligations that it deems necessary for the good of the nation and its people, such as requiring children to go to school. To dismiss the idea that public service should be required because it is inconvenient, unnecessary, or out of the realm of government authority, is to ignore the constructive, holistic benefits created when citizens help each other, and society.
When a person works with at-risk youth, they are doing far more for the children than merely tutoring or mentoring. Often, these children come from unstable homes and communities and their learning environment is chaotic. I used to belong to a rugby club that coached at-risk children, and the difference we made in their lives was palpable. Often, the kids were angry and distrustful when they first joined. They desperately wanted to be a part of something, but had no faith that the club wouldn't ultimately reject or disappoint them. They wanted to feel love and approval from authority figures, but felt persecuted and misunderstood, and weren't sure why we would be any different. Slowly, the kids became used to the routine, structure, and discipline of training, and the adults in their lives that were strict, but also encouraging, fun, and supportive. While there were occasional set-backs, (like one child stealing from another, or some sort of tantrum or outburst), ultimately almost 100% of the kids that we coached ended up with higher self-esteem, better grades, and far fewer behavioral problems.
The effect of helping these children helped to create a better environment in their communities as well. Often, the kids would encourage their friends to join the club, and then their friends would benefit. Further, those children felt even more bonded, and would encourage each other in positive ways within the community. Drug use and truancy went down amongst the kids involved, as the consequences now involved non-participation in the club. Coaches spoke to the kids about collegiate rugby scholarships and suddenly kids who never thought they could go to college were researching collegiate opportunities. They spoke to their friends who, in turn, got involved. The club even took a team of girls to Hong Kong to participate in an international tournament. Watching these kids transform from the angry, desperate adolescents they were to the hopeful, productive, college-bound teens they became was an incredibly rich experience for me, and the rest of the coaches, but far more than that, we helped these kids see the world in a different way, and they, in turn, improved their communities by example.
Government makes many demands on its people, from school attendance, to registering births and deaths, to paying taxes that pay for roads and social services. The concept that citizenship requires responsibility is not a new one. National public service requirements would become a sense of unity and pride for citizens, and help develop the sense that everyone has contributed to the well-being of the nation. Citizens would feel more empathy for others, as they would have worked with communities and individuals that are different from themselves. While there may be some resistance to any sort of compulsory behavior mandated by the government, in time, I believe most people would endorse a public service mandate, much like most people endorse the requirement that children obtain up to a high school education. Public service requirements would create more unified communities and happier and more productive citizens. The end result would benefit the individual, the community, and the nation, as a whole.
