Is Junior High and High Schools Volunteer Work Volunteerism At All?

9. Many junior high schools around the country now require students to spend a certain number of hours each term doing volunteer work or community service. Some people believe this is an excellent idea that promotes good citizenship and cultivates compassion. Others feel that forced volunteerism is not volunteerism at all. How do you feel about this issue? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

What do you think good volunteerism is? Many people believe that the required hours of volunteer work and community service hours from junior high and high schools is not volunteerism at all, but I say otherwise. Some people say that since the students are required to complete the volunteer work they believe that the students are being forced to do the volunteer work only in order to graduate and that that it is not volunteerism at all. Others speculate that by completing the required volunteer hours it will promote good citizenship and cultivate compassion.

            To me school required volunteer work is volunteerism and the dictionary definition of volunteerism after all does say that it is the “principle of donating time and energy for the benefit of other people in the community as a social responsibility rather than for any financial reward”. If the students finish the volunteer work that is required of them then that to me alone means that it is volunteerism. Also, since the definition does state that it is the mere act of donating time and energy for the benefit of other people, then whether the student is forced or not to complete the volunteer work they are donating their time and energy, so that is volunteerism.

            Many students at first do start volunteer work only for the fact that it is required, but later on, as they continue with the volunteer work they might come to enjoy spending their free time in order to help others and do well. Those students that started by hating the volunteer work might actually end up enjoying it and transcending in it as well. That is why many junior high and high schools now require volunteer work and community service so that they can come to enjoy it and experience what volunteer work and community service is. By requiring the volunteer hours and community service it does promote good citizenship and it does cultivate compassion. Since many students were not aware of volunteer work they are being introduced to it, therefore promoting good citizenship and later on, they will cultivate compassion towards what they are doing.

            According to the dictionary definition of volunteerism, the required volunteer hours and community service is considered volunteerism. I do believe that the idea of schools nationwide requiring volunteer hours and community service is a marvelous idea that leads the students to a bright future of well doing. With the students being taken upon the right path during school, later when they are adults they shall continue on towards that path and maybe transcend it someday.