Volunteering as a Character Builder

[Teg]

Kids having trouble finding a job out of High School or undecided on college/military service, you might see if they want to give these folks a chance. This way they can learn a trade in some cases and in general do something nice for folks either stateside or get a chance to see what the world is about while teaching the people you meet how to enjoy a higher standard of living, sort of the "..teach a man to fish principle".

http://www.americorps.gov/

or

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

or

http://www.vfp.org/

or

http://www.globalservicecorps.org/

or

http://www.proworldvolunteers.org/

or check some others here

http://www.volunteerinternational.org/memberlist.html

Even if some might not approve of the government sponsored organizations, why let all of the hippy liberals, corner the market on giving folks a helping hand? The programs are going to be there regardless of how long we hold our breath and wish them gone, so get some good kids out there helping out.

Just some thoughts I had. :)

Teg
:yes4:

[Wyobuckaroo]

I will admit I don't know all I probably should about most of these organizations.
I'm sure they do a lot of good in a lot of places. And that's great.

But I do have to ask. Does the old organization VISTA and others I can't remember still exist ? That is organizations that work within the borders of the US. Think most of them were created during the Jimmy Carter administration, or before. Have not heard anything about them for a very long time. Other than Habitat for Humanity.

Yes, for young people to serve in one of these organizations is a wonderful addition to a resume.

As far as serving an organization to build character in an individual, I read an interesting thing about that from someone who has served an organization like this. And the individual it came from will be a surprise to most people...........

What she said was something like, "you don't join something like this to build character, you have to have character to join this. Building character begins at home."

The person saying this served in the Peace Corps, if I remember. It was Joan Lauer, better known as the lady wrestler Chyna...............

Anyone know if any of the programs like VISTA, or the others that served in the US still exist ? Have they been allowed to fade away ? Or have they and there support ($) been absorbed by other organizations ?

Wyo

[Teg]

Vista was founded back in the mid 60's, it was absorbed into AmeriCorps at some point, which also works to help folks inside the U.S.

[Wyobuckaroo]

I guess VISTA is the other program I was trying to think of...........

Senior moment.....

[BurntToast]

There are many ways to help people without feeding into the liberal feel good "corps" and such.
Start right at home, teach folks to take care of themselves, grow and preserve there own food, prepare for disasters, etc. etc. etc.
Then we might not need so many tax dollars going to the liberal, clean up the mess, feel good, holier-than-thou, "somebody let you down (but it's not your fault honey), but now you can depend on us, because we're your heros" liberal crap.


Just my 2 cents.

Burnt ;)

[Teg]

There are many ways to help people without feeding into the liberal feel good "corps" and such.
Start right at home, teach folks to take care of themselves, grow and preserve there own food, prepare for disasters, etc. etc. etc.
Then we might not need so many tax dollars going to the liberal, clean up the mess, feel good, holier-than-thou, "somebody let you down (but it's not your fault honey), now you can depend on us, because we're your heros" liberal crap.


Just my 2 cents.

Burnt ;)

All very true, but this post was intended as more of a way to help folks get unemployed kids and others "out" and doing something beneficial. Not the way to go for folks that have families and such but for single folks with no attachments it could be useful. The object is to help people on both sides, and to get folks into the world where they can learn something. Start at home, if you like, but it really does not solve the issue of unemployment for young people or present the opportunity for skills training they would receive in groups like AmeriCorps. We certainly have enough people lying around the country doing nothing, so why not.

This is not a welfare project, this is a helping hand, in the vein of “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.” perhaps these young folks could actually make that mean something.

Ultimately, this was a suggestion to help your fellow man, simple as that.

Teg
:yes4:

[BurntToast]

I'm all for getting young folks working, but not so much at taxpayer expense.
They spent what, 13 years in taxpayer funded schooling? The learning and helping should have occurred then. But better yet, their parents should have taught them right.

It's always lots of fun to spend other peoples money!! ;)


Burnt

[BonnyLake]

All very true, but this post was intended as more of a way to help folks get unemployed kids and others "out" and doing something beneficial.
... Ultimately, this was a suggestion to help your fellow man, simple as that.

Teg
:yes4:

In the spirit in which your post was written - I fully agree with you that unemployed kids should look into some of these agencies. I know of at least a dozen kids from when my son went to highschool, who went into the jobscorp. They had real jobs working for the .gov learning usable skills and doing viable work, similar to the CCC projects of the past. They were paid the federal minimum wage, which we all know is rock bottom... this corps is for HS kids and a little older and it's great. - When I was still in HS in the early 70's, I worked for them too. I taught kids math in summer school instead of them paying teachers to do it, I will never forget watching an 8 year old boy 'get it' when it came to basic math skills :D

Life is not 'all about the politics', that's why we are in such a mess... like the dimbazz super-committee... there has to be more then just 2-sides to every issue, and having people out of work who could gain an income and experience from the programs that are already in place, just because it doesn't follow someones political line in the sand, is stupid! These same complainers don't want the unemployed to get any 'hand-outs' either... what would you have them do? Just Disappear?
JMHO

Good info Teg!
.

[cinok]

The downside of 13 years of public or even private schools is that they "prepare" graduates for college.many of these programs fill the gap for those that do not want a desk job and prepare them for vocational trades. Sadly the lack of vocational training is a majors problem that many do not see. Going to college to be a carpenter or an automechanic is the latest thing. Let's rack up 20 grand in debt is Moran option for many so instead of being able to work in the trades these young adults wind up flipping burgers and become frustrated. While I don't agree with all the money these programs chew up and from my experience that many of these programs also are steep in reverse discrimination for admintment these provide a stop gap.
Learning a trade is not like it was 30 years ago when I was a teenager .While I consider myself am jack of all trades master of none this is because I worked in many tradeswhen I was younger. This would not be possible today.
The only other option would be military service to learn trades and skills .i personally do not have an issue with all Americans to serve a miniumim hitch I am in he minority in most circles

[Wyobuckaroo]

Have to say.....
Each situation has it's advantages.

Individuals working within there own community has the advantage of attention to detail of what is needed in there own neighborhood. Down side is resources, and man hours to share with the local community.

The "organization" has the advantage of more man hours (people available to volunteer) the ability to cover a larger area of need. Down side is a lot of small details in neighborhoods get overlooked.........

Agree with Bonny, and what I have seen happen for my kids, that a term of service in an organization is a WONDERFUL addition to a resume.

I'm not sure of the details of how it is organized, but I have always thought the system of military service in Israel is pretty good.

Everyone serves a minimum service. Everyone goes through a boot camp according to there ability. Everyone is assigned a job, again according to there ability. Everyone is qualified with a firearm. Now everyone is not able to be combat qualified, but they do a job that is needed. And I think according to there job they serve as a reserve for a period of time after active service.

I think older service veterans are kept on a roster of availability, again depending on individual ability, job, and life skills.

Now, of course, I realize Israels position on the planet and situation with there neighbors is a whole different thing...... But
They seem to have a tremendous depth of manpower and useable skills available.
I have always thought that could be a good model for a military service system.

Or is this idea a thread of it's own ?
Wyo

[BonnyLake]

Have to say.....
Each situation has it's advantages.

Wyo

In order for HS kids to graduate now, they have to have done some type of community service - and not the type that law-breakers 'get' to do either. They have to locate the opportunities themselves. I think they are doing this as a way to fill the gap in the disastrous testing that failed.

Some of the volunteer opportunities are .gov sponsored on the local level, like you said, and they can stay in their own neighborhoods, but it's free work and usually dismall and meaningless, but it's a 'gift' they give to their communities. Other organizations will pay the kids to learn - that's the best ticket, but they may have to start working for free and then migrate into other jobs when locals see them at work.

A lot of jobcorps kids go to training camps in other places and work as a group - like cleaning up hillsides after fires, etc... it's hard but they make friends and learn how to use their hands and minds and get skills, like Cinok said. There aren't too many places that even like kids, let alone want to train them.
.

[BonnyLake]

...Learning a trade is not like it was 30 years ago when I was a teenager .While I consider myself am jack of all trades master of none this is because I worked in many tradeswhen I was younger. This would not be possible today.
The only other option would be military service to learn trades and skills .i personally do not have an issue with all Americans to serve a miniumim hitch I am in he minority in most circles

I guess I'm not done yet - this is an important topic!
I have two sons -my 33 year old worked with me at the big farm and learned to drive all of the equipment, including semi-trucks - which gave him a lot of different skills, but not too much on a resume. When he was 30 he had to change trades because the farm was scaling down; so he went into an apprenticeship as an electrician because his dad got him going. Without his parents, my son would not have had any opportunities to learn a trade or skills... I'm afraid of where he may have ended up.

My 30 year old son went into the Army at age 17 in HS and pre-trained (a new program the Army has) before bootcamp. He followed his dad into the lifer-service and now he has 13 years and an E7 under his belt - but he is a recruiter right now for awhile and says that it is harder then ever for young kids to enlist. They have to pass tests and be screened just like every other job. The military is no longer the job of last resort where they 'have' to take you ...
.

[cinok]

Bonny,
Very true about the requirements to join today's military but if it was mandatory just think of the teachers being able to say "do you want to have a career in a few years or do you want your only choice to be infantry (no disrespect to the good ol grunt)

[Teg]

I'm all for getting young folks working, but not so much at taxpayer expense.
They spent what, 13 years in taxpayer funded schooling? The learning and helping should have occurred then. But better yet, their parents should have taught them right.

It's always lots of fun to spend other peoples money!! ;)


Burnt

These organizations are not all at the taxpayer expense, many are privately funded charities, one of the reason I listed several and a link to a page with even more was to give a wide selection. As for schools, as in K-12, it is just a check mark on application these days, all the kids learn to do is pass a test and even if a kid is HomeSchooled and taught all sorts of tasks, it won't do them a lick of good in the job market without a certification. As for parents teaching their kids right, teaching your children to help folks in need, is part of teaching them right.

These ideas give kids an option, which they choose is up to them, they can even choose the military if they like but as a retired Veteran I will say that parents push a lot of kids to the military who should be elsewhere.

Teg
:yes4:

[Junie]

There could be another advantage to volunteering. When my hubby couldn't find a job, he volunteered at Habitat for Humanity. After a few months, the guy that ran the program offered him a full-time job with his construction company. He took it, but continued to work for HfH on the weekends.

[momma_to_seven_chi]

All very true, but this post was intended as more of a way to help folks get unemployed kids and others "out" and doing something beneficial. Not the way to go for folks that have families and such but for single folks with no attachments it could be useful. The object is to help people on both sides, and to get folks into the world where they can learn something. Start at home, if you like, but it really does not solve the issue of unemployment for young people or present the opportunity for skills training they would receive in groups like AmeriCorps. We certainly have enough people lying around the country doing nothing, so why not.


Most homeschoolers start teaching their children to do ministry and service from childhood. When they become adults, putting those skill to work for some of the organizations you mention is a good idea, especially if they couldn't afford a mission type trip in a private mission. But the most important thing is to teach your children to serve right along side of yourselves as you serve from the time they are young. We always made our kids do nursing home ministry with us every week when they were small, volunteer at the mission every week and clean the church every Friday afternoon with us. You just have to teach service when they are young right through their childhood.