High school is where the students learn exactly what it entails to be a better citizen and get ready for their future. A key component of existence as a better resident is being able to interact with the community. One of the most common techniques of involving students in the community is through ensuring that they get involved in volunteerism. Relatively, to complete the education system promises, high school students should spend some time in volunteer activities in the community. This is because, without strong community service, there would lack a strong quality of life. This is the way through which students can grow in the community and develop. High school students should be forced to take part in volunteering activities since they are building their character, academic achievement, personal experience, and a better understanding of the community.
Should High School Students Be Forced to Volunteer?
Considerably, high school students that are engaged in community services and volunteer activities during their high school age will carry social interaction with them throughout their life (Holdsworth, 2010). The life lessons and messages they receive are just essential in the real world. Thus, making the volunteer activities in high school mandatory will be necessary since students will spend their time interacting with others in the community. Ideally, when a large number of high school students can interact and understand the importance of community service, they can take the skill and apply it not only in their profession but also in the general well-being of the community (Smith et al., 2010). This is essential in the growth and development of the society since the same students join their professional fields where they make better contributions that are in developing the community well-being. If the students rely on the knowledge and skills they gain during voluntary activities as well as the lessons they learned during these activities, they can solve a number of social and economic problems in the community (Wu, 2011). Therefore, this means that by ensuring that students take part in community service, they are not only getting equipped with knowledge and skills but also ensuring that they are informed and ethical citizens that will build a better social and economic climate.
Besides, gaining valuable skills and knowledge, taking part in volunteering activities may lead to acquiring part-time job opportunities. Most of the students that take part in volunteering activities and prove their hard work ethic and dependability have had employers taking into consideration and offering them a job opportunity. Relatively, the students are able to acquire experience that is necessary while looking for job opportunities. Thus, they can get job opportunities quickly since they have experienced while working in community services.
Volunteering activities offer students countless benefits. Besides having the knowledge and skills and making a difference in their lives and the lives of others, they develop communication and interaction skills as well as acceptance of others (Holdsworth, 2010). Relatively, they can reach out to the other, less fortunate individuals, which teaches them to be grateful. The community services are essential since they allow the high school students to get more educated on how they can help others as well as how they can impact the lives of others. Thus, having the students involved in the volunteering activities is a way of giving them a better accepting of how many individuals need their aid. This promotes leadership skills as well as awareness in them to take an active role in society.
Some people believe that forcing students to take part in the voluntary community service is defeating the purpose of volunteering since volunteering does not require one to be pushed. This is because it is believed that mandatory volunteering brings the wrong idea since the students should have the intention of volunteering by themselves but not being forced because it is an academic requirement (Ludden, 2011). Therefore, students that are forced to volunteer to change the perception and essence of volunteering. However, it is evident in a school that a number of students require some extra push to reach out the society and interact with others in the community. While some students are less interested in participating in voluntary activities, it is essential to force them to reach out through community projects. This is important in ensuring that the student has expanded their knowledge and awareness of the outside world.
Conclusion
Mandatory volunteering has more benefits to the students than drawbacks. The students can gain skills and knowledge, improve their interactions and communication as well as their experience that build their leadership skills and personal decision that involves devotion and time. The students that are forced to take part in volunteerism gain exposure and valuable life lessons as well as gaining a better understanding of the community. Therefore, students should be forced to take part in community service projects since it promotes their future community involvement as well as bring a sense of social responsibility.
