Citizenship First? Compelling, not compulsory

Rod Aldridge's response to Citizenship first: the case for compulsory civic service, Frank Field and James Crabtree's call for compulsory civic service for all young people.

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The idea of compulsory national civic service for young people outlined by James Crabtree and Frank Field MP is interesting, but not new. For many years politicians and policymakers have called for such a scheme, envisaging it as a silver bullet to perceived youth alienation and apathy. While I agree with the authors, that we must do something for the Class of 2009 and to tackle rising youth unemployment, the answer lies in offering attractive and compelling volunteering opportunities that appeal to young people, not bringing back a form of conscription in civic service.

The outcome of the last big and considered debate on a compulsory scheme was the creation of 'v', an organisation which I chair. Established in 2006, v is mandated to inspire a new generation to serve society by increasing the diversity, quality and quantity of volunteering opportunities. By bringing together the private sector, government and the community and voluntary sectors, v has built a network of national and grass roots organisations that together have created over 875,000 full-time, part-time and short-term volunteering opportunities in such areas as the environment, fashion, technology, poverty, health, the arts and mentoring. v's new full-time programme, vtalent year, extends these opportunities even further into some of our most disadvantaged communities. What should we learn from this experience? Well, it is clear that the real silver bullet for UK policymakers is tapping into young peoples' passions and interests. This is also the model followed by AmeriCorps, the US organisation so often cited in these discussions; compelling opportunities, not compulsory service.

If changing economic and social times are increasing the political attractiveness of a compulsory scheme and reawakening the debate, then young peoples' views and opinions should be central to the discussion. v and its partners will be working to ensure that is the case over the coming months.

It is possible to provide young people with compelling full-time volunteering opportunities that would harness their talents and dynamism and offer a constructive route through this recession. This would need resources and co-ordination, but would cost a fraction of the expensive national "grande project" imagined by Crabtree and Field. It would also be far more effective.

Rod Aldridge
Chairman of v, the youth volunteering organisation

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Read the other responses here.