Volunteer

[look 171]

Got talking with a friend over the weekend. A couple of his friends were over and the subject came up. They were teachers from his school. Both think its the greatest thing to man kind to make it mandatory for students do this for X amounts of hours (30) in their 11 and 12 grade year. I disagree with this completely. Let them go, its their time don't take more away from them. Why bog them down with more hoops to jump through? They both feel that kids can meets more people by doing this and a bunch of other bogus excuses. I asked, "Why don't you do this in the summer months so you can keep your jobs plus, its better for the local community?" You know the answer to that? Really pisses me off to no end with these people. As long as its not hurting or effecting them, they make it more difficult to just load others up with more and more. Its fooking slavery if you ask me. As a business owner, I love me about 10 people daily working on my job site for 5 hours to keep things clean, all for free, why the heck not? Its free after all. I will more then happy to sign that piece of paper for them.

At the college level, I understand. Its a way to extend your network for potential jobs but high school? I know, colleges look for volunteering in their applications or personal statements but mandatory is a bunch of BS.

[unclebilly]

I’d love to hear some of their excuses why they can’t / don’t volunteer over the summer.

I worked from when I was about 10 or so. This volunteer stuff would not have benefited me. Currently I volunteer 5-20 hours per week, every week. It’s my way to give back.

[look 171]

I don't volunteer but do a few things here and there for those who can't afford it, mainly for the older folks around my neighborhood and my parent's.

They sure as hell don't practice what they preach but they sure know what's best for everyone else. I had to that crap in high school. I worked at the food court at the mall. I showed up for 4 Saturdays to rack up my 20 hours. All I did was clean the fooker's place. The grease pit and all. What a crock, then there's the kid that will come after me.

I thought slavery was abolished long ago?

[PorscheGAL]

The idea of volunteering is a good one but what about the kids who need to work to help their families financially? As a teen, I worked to save money for college, knowing my parents would not be paying for it. If I missed work for volunteering, where would that have gotten me?

As an adult, returning to school, I have been required to complete volunteer work. I volunteered at a food bank. Know what I learned? Nothing but how to bag groceries.

Ultimately, what is the goal? What do these teachers believe will be learned?

[Skillet83]

I sent my kids to a private Christian School. Mandatory, 100 hours volunteer work, service hours or needy hours. Had all 4 years to do it. They worked at hospitals, low income schools, school functions, etc...Did not have a problem with it. They got to see that the world is not perfect and the fact that they have it pretty good. Learn to give back.

[Tidybuoy]

I think volunteering is a valuable thing but making it mandatory is not volunteering.

I think kids should work at summer jobs or part-time after school jobs but that seems to be a thing of the past. I had a job from 9th grade on and most of my friends also had jobs. These days, kids don't work and seem to be put-out if they have to.

Many years ago I worked for Red Cross and we had the happiest group of volunteers. However, they were mostly retired and enjoyed working. Nobody was forced to volunteer - that is what I call slavery.

[ckelly78z]

I think that having their choice on when, and where to volunteer over the course of 2-4 years would get them into responsible projects that they care about with responsible adults (away from the liberal agenda of schools) who have valuable wisdom to empart.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Skillet83

I sent my kids to a private Christian School. Mandatory, 100 hours volunteer work, service hours or needy hours. Had all 4 years to do it. They worked at hospitals, low income schools, school functions, etc...Did not have a problem with it. They got to see that the world is not perfect and the fact that they have it pretty good. Learn to give back.

Big difference. Private school. Knowing that's part of the requirement for graduation.

Give back to what? Some of these kids can bearly eat, living in the poorest part of town and yet, they are told to give and do work for nothing. I understand your reasoning but that's not for everyone and it should not be mandatory. My point is, these people think its great, when someone else is spending their time. if tables are turned, then it is No, no, and hell no for them.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by PorscheGAL

The idea of volunteering is a good one but what about the kids who need to work to help their families financially? As a teen, I worked to save money for college, knowing my parents would not be paying for it. If I missed work for volunteering, where would that have gotten me?

As an adult, returning to school, I have been required to complete volunteer work. I volunteered at a food bank. Know what I learned? Nothing but how to bag groceries.


Ultimately, what is the goal? What do these teachers believe will be learned?

Exactly

[look 171]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

I think that having their choice on when, and where to volunteer over the course of 2-4 years would get them into responsible projects that they care about with responsible adults (away from the liberal agenda of schools) who have valuable wisdom to empart.

We must remember this is a big town and jsut to get across town requires an hour or two with traffic. 15-17 year olds don't have a car and normally don't have the time to run around the city with project they actually care about within a 5 miles from home. So many of them ended up like me, cleaning up some grease pit just to have those paper signed.

I can see this. The pig farmer is going to do society some good, so boys and girls, we have a volunteer program here for you kids. Shovel pig poo so you can earn a star in your high school diploma. Woo-hoo.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

I think volunteering is a valuable thing but making it mandatory is not volunteering.

Good point. So make “real world work experience” a prerequisite for graduating. Kids who spend their high school years playing sports and video games are at a real disadvantage to those who were out engaging with the real world, doing real work, whether it is paid or voluntary.

[Rtrorkt]

[LakeCleElum]

Volunteer + Mandatory = Oxymoron

[Bill Douglas]

I think it's a good idea.

As a high school kid I worked most weekends and certainly every school holidays. But I found time to put in a few days of voluntary work. I helped out at the intellectually handicapped games. It was lots of fun.

[Arizona_928]

More competitive for scholarships, university admissions, ect.

Kinda separates the have vs have not. If you're dirt poor and working during the school year. You'll have a lower gpa, lower attendance, and overall less opportunities over the nuclear family....

[Coverman]

My daughter went to a girls private school which had a 'volunteer' scheme for the girls from about 13-15,( ie before the need to work for the 16 years and 18 years national exams) to go to a school in a poor neighbourhood to help teach younger kids to read.
Later on, her employer had a scheme for trainee lawyers to go one evening a week to a deprived area to do pro-bono work supervised by a senior lawyer, which was of mutual benefit. When her company was taken over by an American law firm I believe the scheme was stopped.

[ZOO]

We have it in Ontario. Some students embrace the spirit and really push themselves with the things they "volunteer" for. Some students have to be pushed to do it, and end up essentially giving away free labour. I don't care for it, and it tends to exacerbate existing privilege.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by ZOO

it tends to exacerbate existing privilege.

^^
Please elaborate.

[black73]

My daughter's high school had the forced volunteering. She got roped into going to the dog rescue. Fun, play with puppies, etc., right? Wrong! Scrub the filthy cages that had not been cleaned in forever with inadequate PPE or instruction. She, of course, caught something and was sick as a dog for about two weeks. We were not pleased.

[PorscheGAL]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

^^
Please elaborate.

I don't know if this was what ZOO was referring to but here are my thoughts:

If a student needs to work in order to help pay their family bills, how would they balance a need for money and the need for a grade that would come with volunteering? People from more comfortable financial situations don't need to make this decision?

What about transportation? If a student relies on the school bus to get to school but has no other transport outside of that, how do they get to the volunteer location?

These two things put poorer students at a disadvantage.