Some people propose that teenagers should be required to do community work without salary compensation as it could be beneficial to the child and the society. However, I am of the view that this proposition has more drawbacks than advantages.
One of the main reasons why forcing young adults to do unpaid work is not a good idea is because it will be an additional responsibility for them. This group of individuals already has a lot on their plate and that continuous learning and growth is already expected of them. Not only that they have to worry about school, but they also have to deal with puberty at the same time. Pushing for the implementation of this recommendation consequently induces stress to the teens making living life extra harder for them.
Furthermore, this proposition can slow down or even hinder teenagers’ ability to succeed in their interests as we are snatching their time to develop hobbies during their formative years. For example, a student who excels in football has to sacrifice practice time in order to accommodate the community needs. As a result, improvements in playing the sport are delayed if not obstructed. Unknowingly, we could be stopping our teens in becoming the next stars in their own chosen fields.
In addition, the demotivation of these young adults could be another negative effect as the society basically force them to do things they don’t like, and to make it worse, without salary compensation. This set up is very comparable to forced labor. We already have seen the negative effects of such work type, and we should know better by now. Rewarding a worker for something good he did should be a norm in every organization.
In summary, while making teens work without pay seems to be beneficial to the community, it is worth noting that we are becoming a burden for them due to additional demands that could negatively impact their growth.