Unpaid community services such as charitable work, sport coaching and more has long been considered to be a valuable

and effective way to build character and soft skills. However, only a small fraction of adolescences is putting effort into
such community service. In this essay, I will illustrate the consequences that this lack of action causes and how to best
solve this pressing issue.

If the young do not involve themselves with the wellbeing of their surroundings by doing volunteering work, it will lead
to the destruction of the sense of community within society. Most community services aim to improve the living
conditions of the vulnerable and destitute like orphans, the old and infirm, the disabled, and those in similar situations.
Volunteers, who are usually among the more affluent and influential part of society, will feel deep empathy for such
pitiable people after hearing about their circumstances and help echo their plights. If more people were to do
community work, they can build strong bonds of trust and friendship via their shared love and care for the vulnerable
and help each other to create a better, more equitable society. Conversely, the current lack of young people volunteering
will create a rift between the upper and lower classes. The lack of direct interaction between the have and the have-not
is the perfect breeding ground for false narratives and unfounded prejudices. These will haunt both sides of this gap and
the ensuing conflicts will ensure that society will be fractured for a very long time. This saddening phenomenon is no
longer limited to the theoretical, as evidenced by the actions of the Brazilian government during the 2016 Olympics.
They treat the impoverished people of Rio de Janeiro’s slums as undesirable trash to be kept out of sight of oncoming
visitors and build concrete walls between them and the rest of the city. This sets a dangerous precedent and such
classicist acts must be stopped at all costs.

There are many ways to tackle the depressing issue of young people not doing unpaid community services. Many
proposed a direct and intuitive measure, which is to make such works mandatory for high school students, as they
believed that these youths are the one with the necessary combination of skills and energy. However, upon closer
examination, it is apparent that there are many flaws with such a plan. First and foremost, the work burden that are
being put on the shoulders of highschoolers are already unbearably heavy. The time spent on studying the dizzying
number of subjects at school, along with the multitude of cram schools that they have to attend nearly every day in
order to achieve higher education means that there is no time or energy left to do volunteer work. Furthermore, making
community services compulsory for students goes against its intended purpose. Instead of treating the vulnerable that
they are caring for with love, their actions are now colored by contempt and resentment, which further the social divide.
It is because of these reasons that I am in favor of a more subtle approach, which involves gently nudging students to do
community services by themselves. By leading students on field trips to remote areas, or dedicating time to watch
documentaries on inequality and the disadvantaged, we can combat against ignorance and misconceptions held by them
and help invigorate their innate human empathy. Afterwards, we can guide them to helpful and effective volunteering
initiatives for them to direct their newfound energy and care towards. The simple act of observing can spur powerful
emotions within people, as documented by the legend of the Buddha, who was transformed from a sheltered prince to a
loving and compassionate figure when he saw how hunger and death ravaged the streets of his nation. Applied to the
modern day, it can help influence many students to voluntarily do community services.

In conclusion, were the youth to continue their lack of action for the poor and vulnerable, it may tear apart society,
causing irreparable chasms between different social classes. The best way to combat this issue is to open the curtains to
the many poignant circumstances and struggles in the world, not the more direct means of making volunteering
mandatory.