Whether it is compulsory for young people to take part in voluntary work or not is an arguable matter in this day and age, while this practice may face several difficulties relating to the waste of valuable time and the exploitation of the young, it is perceived as the potential drawbacks are now surpassed by the tremendous positive merits.
On the one hand, it is an indisputable fact that the disadvantages of voluntary work are obvious. The main reason is that these activities consume a great amount of time. Indeed, young people have to set aside/devote/sacrifice their free time to learn about the regulations, skills, and safety guidelines to be qualified enough to provide aid and services to other people in the community. This is undoubtedly obligatory for those whose schedules are hectic as well as lack sufficient time for rest; leading to some mental issues such as stress and depression. Moreover, young people can be taken advantage of by attending voluntary activities. Numerous for-profit organizations may exploit them to regard their benefits. For example, a company may encourage young people to attend their campaigns relating to raising awareness of people towards environmental problems, but it turns out that they are exploiting young people regarding their advertisements and other commercial purposes. Such phenomena may lead to anger and mistreatment among young people, and further the imbalance of the community.
On the other hand, the benefits of encouraging people to engage in voluntary work to help fellow citizens are more significant. Chief of these is that it considerably fosters moral development. This is because practical experiences enable youngsters to understand the predicaments of people in need, such as the poor or the disabled, to acknowledge the struggle in their daily activities; potentially becoming more empathetic citizens. Besides, it is also beneficial for the future careers of young people. Recruiters nowadays appreciate candidates who are involved in voluntary activities since they are considered to have acquired not only hands-on experience but also a spirit of dedication and responsibility. As a result, they may get better job opportunities as their curriculum vitae is filled with such work.
In conclusion, while there remain some disadvantages to forcing young people to partake in unpaid work such as wasting time and exploitation, I contend these are surpassed by the accumulation of other merits, such as potential ethical developments and career prospects.