http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=1486195

I have been thinking along these lines for quite some time now based upon the need to give youth a feeling of purpose and self esteem, belonging, a sense of society, of community and human interdependency that stretches and matures them as individuals. However I struggle to see how a voluntary scheme will reach the inner city kids (and their parents) and including those from ethnic and religious minorities who would arguably benefit from it the most.

It would be no less a good thing for attracting middle class youth but perhaps so much better if it attracted the less fortunate and equipped and inspired them to break the generational cycles and peer groups they often get locked into.

I’m uncomfortable with the idea of compulsion and any scheme would need to adequately protect volunteers and clients. Done right it is likely to be expensive in the short-termist sense of quick returns demanded by the ruling media class.

I’m also uncomfortable with the often used terminology in this context of ‘the nation’ and almost quasi militaristic call to arms to serve when we really mean ‘the community’ and the reasons one might actually feel patriotic and to have a sense of ones place in time and of destiny; something bigger than oneself (and increasingly the threat is from nature anyway). But I appreciate how such more easily definable terms can attract youth – for good, as well as bad.

Neither should it be a purely narrow financial transaction of gain. I’m stuck with how it would become both genuine and aspirational to youth and how they themselves would formulate and communicate it especially with the school leaving age being raised. There are many and varied voluntary schemes out there which really do wonders for young people but they tend to attract those you have more motivation and self esteem to begin with.

But also not only about youth (as youth gets older) but equally there is arguably both a need for and benefits to participants in the ‘Civil Defence’ organisations that Nick Clegg floated on his leadership campaign.

We live in terribly materialistic, selfish times were I am convinced low self-esteem propagates continually to undermine society. Anyone who successfully realises JFK’s famous words in actions will be revolutionary.

This idea really appeals to me and I believe that without stimulating a more profound civil society, a Liberal government is unlikely to maintain itself.

When I was an 18 year old and about to embark on a gap year I would have loved to participate in a British ‘Americorps’. However, the alarm bells that this idea immediately sets off – in my mind – are that:

a) Would the British pubic would be more cynical towards such a scheme/organisation?

b) Would participants be taken advantage of?

America has had to cultivate stronger elements of civil society due to the lack of an expansive welfare state. I find it unlikely that British teenagers would take an ‘Americorps’ style pledge. Is this purely cultural? I don’t have the answers in that respect, however, there is so much potential for creating a scheme that could benefit both participants and their communities.

Volunteering has to be more than dud internships where individuals spend their summers making coffee and photocopying, which has unfortunately been my experience thus far. Nothing is more likely to put individuals off giving their time freely than being used as ’slave labour’. Participants in an ‘Americorps ‘ style scheme have to be interacting with the community on a profound level. We can use our young people better but first said scheme has to appeal to Middle Class school leavers.

The way to overcome these problems is to make the volunteer streams specific, carry a worthy financial incentive (a reduction of University/training tuition fees, a small wage, sponsorship from major companies) and work towards a certificate or qualification that holds real weight with future employers and indicates skills (interpersonal skills, patience, self motivation… etc.) that a University degree alone does not.

Sara