Community service is an essential part of our society, yet very few young people are willing to take part in it. This essay will first suggest that the main problem this causes is a reduced number of opportunities for young people to gain skills and experience and the most viable solution is to integrate voluntary work via schools and universities.
The principal problem associated with teenagers unwilling to involve in volunteering activities is a lack of opportunities to gain soft skills and work experience. Community service requires constant communication with people, patience and empathy, skills essential for future personal and professional life. Moreover, volunteering can provide people with working experience without a higher education diploma, which can boost their chances later for getting employed. For example, many employers showed that they value community work on the résumé of their applicants.
The most effective way to encourage young people to become involved in community service is to make it compulsory in high schools and third-level education institutions. Integrating volunteer work in the curriculum would ensure that all young people are involved. This would significantly help not only local charities, retired homes and orphanages, but also students gain experience. For example, in some countries, students cannot graduate from school or university without completing some volunteering hours, which has led to higher student participation.
In conclusion, lack of young people willing to do community service can deprive them of working skills and experience and volunteering should be included in a mandatory education curriculum.