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?

Nowadays, many high schools make community service an optional element of their students’ curriculums. However, whereas some people believe that this unpaid service should be a mandatory part of the syllabus, I would argue that, while it is helpful, it should remain the student’s choice. One of the most significant benefits of community service for high school students is that such work prepares students for the world outside of education. This is important because students who have no awareness of what the working world is like may be overwhelmed when it finally comes around. For instance, a student who has experience of caring for the aged - a typical community service task - will be more able to adapt to the needs of elderly customers in a working role than one who does not. Thus, community work can give students more confidence about life after school. However, it is vital that this service be the sole choice of the student, as making such tasks compulsory may breed resentment towards the work. The reason for this is that people are naturally averse to doing anything which seems imposed upon them, especially without reward. Consequently, this resentment may then lead to poor quality work, negatively affecting both the student and the community itself. In contrast, if the student chooses to do community service for no pay, this is more likely to produce feelings of self-worth and satisfaction, contributing to better work. In conclusion, although offering high school students unpaid community service work may help them transition into the adult world, I believe such work should not be a necessary component of their programmes as this may foster negativity towards the tasks.