Would Six Months of Civic Service for High Schoolers be a Good Idea??

I think there are many community oriented part time jobs that students could perform as a learning tool. Spending time on a hospital ward as nurses aides, working at childcare centres as aids, driver education courses, home maintenance....in areas of hygiene and general cleaning and another course for using tools like hammers and screwdrivers, drills and saws. Then also maybe, basic gaedening skills. There could be other courses too like relationship counselling for people who intend to marry or set up house with a partner. Basic financial skills like budgeting and savings plans. These are all basic ideas I think young people should be made aware of and given a chance to develop skill in these areas.

Our high school does that, our kids have to do community service of some kind, it is part of their requirement. I think it's great, it makes them realize that they are part of the community, and that they are capable of making a difference. Kids by nature are self-involved, a program that pulls their attention from themselves a few hours a week certainly doesn't hurt them any.

I seriously think it should start in the freshman year of high school and going onward to graduation. That would give kids a better background of community service and self esteem. I think 6 months is just not long enough. After four years it becomes a part of them and then they will carry it over into adulthood I believe, for most of them.