NATIONAL SERVICE

National Service

All Citizens Should be Required to Perform a Period on National Service

National service is a policy planned to encourage civic participation and responsibility by providing opportunities to citizens to serve their country and its people. Citizens of all ages are provided small compensation, which can include financial aid for educational expenses, in exchange for time performed on national service. The efforts are designed to build an ethic of citizenship, while providing private charitable organizations a means to expand their efforts.

National Service has a positive effect on the likelihood of volunteering post-service, felt an obligation to contribute to the community, self-confidence in defining and dealing with community problems, feelings of efficacy, grassroots activism, and “connections to the community,” but in almost all cases, the effect is stronger for those with no previous volunteer experience. It has little impact on the “personal development” of those already civic minded. It does benefit those who have not previously thought about volunteering and who are, perhaps, attracted by the stipend and living allowance or the opportunity to obtain job skills and job contacts. While not all members benefit, the money is going where it is most needed to those young people who would otherwise not develop much interest in being good citizens in their community.

Today's young population is passionate and idealistic as any generation before, perhaps more passionate. They have the ideals to care about their environment and campaign against poverty, but they are lost. There is a lack of discipline in their lives and believed there was a need to fill the gap that is missing between their childhood and adulthood. National Service teaches the participants what it means to be socially responsible. Above all, it is going to inspire a generation of young people to appreciate what they can achieve and how ...