Should we be forced to do voluntary work?

Voluntary Work

Many people volunteer in Britain every day. Volunteering work has many benefits including gaining new skills you are likely to need later in life. It's also a great way to meet people, find new friends and get into varied work which could lead into a career.

School students are already used to volunteering, in the schools' curriculum, pupils already spend an average of two weeks in a unpaid work placement.

Gordon Brown's voluntary work plan

Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants all young people to have done 50 hours of community service by the age of 19. He wants teenagers to contribute to building a better Britain by working in the community.

If the labour party is re-elected, the scheme will become part of the schools' national curriculum and all young people under the age of 19 will be expected to work in volunteering schemes and charities.

Facts and figures

It is believed that;

• The contribution of volunteers to the economy is around £48.1bn
• There are more than 22 million people in Britain who work as volunteers
• The number of charities has almost doubled in the last ten years
• In 2007, 49 percent of people in England volunteered regularly

Your comments

• ...Also is it still voluntary if it is compulsory? snowbuilder
• The idea of 'volunteering' is that you choose to help people!! What a silly idea 'compulsory volunteering'...JamSarnie
• How can you force people to do VOLUNTARY work!... Blustar
• I hope he doesnt get re-elected, he's made enough of a mess of the country as it is. Labour should elect a new leader tbh, he's damaging the party... U14030862