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Topic: Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example, working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood, or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Model answer:
Many community services rely on people to volunteer their time and effort. Some people think that forcing high school students to take part in programmes like this is a good idea. Doing so could have repercussions for all concerned.
Firstly, creating a programme that is compulsory would certainly have an impact on the community and the children involved. Not all teenagers are mature enough for work like this. As a result, if they are expected to help the elderly, work on renovation projects, or teach younger children, the programme may cause more problems than it solves. The charities would also have extra work in supervising these students. In addition, high school students have a great deal of academic pressure, so adding more to their timetable may not be possible, especially for any with high academic ambitions. Thus, establishing this type of programme might prove difficult.
Nevertheless, there would also be clear benefits. It is easy for teenagers to become focused only on their studies or their personal interests, and many would not normally choose to do this type of work. Thus, if it is made part of the standard curriculum, the students would have the opportunity to try something new. Furthermore, while it is true that many lack maturity, work of this nature would help them to develop a sense of responsibility, and teach them real-world skills that will be very useful in their future career. Teaching teenagers to be more community-minded should also ensure that older volunteers can eventually work less. Therefore, even though both groups would need to adapt, everyone taking part is more likely to gain from the experience.
In conclusion, I completely agree with this proposal. Although the idea of compulsory community service may initially be difficult to implement, and some may resist the idea, its long-term benefits will surely make up for any short-term problems.
