National Youth Service :
A Global Perspective
Contents
Introduction
1: National Service Programs and Proposals
Profiles of National Service
2: Aspects of National Youth Service
Appendix A: Global Conference Participants, June 18-21, 1992
Appendix B: Annotated Bibliography
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1. National service programs and proposals
Great Britain
Mrs. Elisabeth Hoodless, C.B.E.
Executive Director, Community Service Volunteers
Community Service Volunteers (CSV) was founded in 1962 by Dr. Alec Dickson, who earlier had founded Voluntary Service Overseas. CSV places every person from age 16 to 35 who volunteers to serve. In 1991, 3,000 persons volunteered for CSV, a 30 percent increase from 1990.
Conditions of Service. CSVs serve away from home for a period of four to 12 months; the average period is 6 1/2 months. The projects where they serve provide pocket money of ?21 ($US39) per week as well as food and lodging. Only one volunteer in 50 is transferred before completing the assignment.
Profile of CSVs. CSVs are a cross-section of British young people in gender, ethnic origin, educational attainment, class, and color. Special efforts are made to attract certain groups which otherwise would be under represented.
Activities. All CSVs work face-to-face with people in need. They work with the homeless, the frail elderly, young offenders, and mentally and physically handicapped citizens; they work in schools, hospitals, prisons, and youth projects. One-third of CSVs work on projects enabling severely disabled people to live independently. Two or sometimes three volunteers provide some persons with 24- hour care, seven days a week. Some CSVs give relief for up to seven days to persons who are caring around the clock for family members or others. Some CSVs enable families to avoid sending loved ones to institutions. The CSV placement procedure is sketched on page xx.
Cost. Each volunteer costs ?550 to place; the central government provides about half of this amount. The total 1990-1991 budget of ?4,113,000 came from central and local governments, trusts, foundations, companies, and the projects where CSVs served. Each year about 300 volunteers from overseas contribute a placement fee of ?410 per volunteer.
Outcomes. British health, education and community services are chronically overstretched. In its first 30 years, CSV has demonstrated both the uniquely positive, cost-effective impact of nonprofessional volunteers and the value to young people of volunteering. This is particularly noticeable where disadvantaged CSVs serve with other CSVs. "London Action," for example, places substance abusers for whom all other forms of treatment and therapy have failed. Sixty-nine percent overcome the habit because having others depend on them gives them a purpose in life. Hundreds of graduates of Her Majesty's Young Offender Institutions join CSV for their last month of sentence; one-half stay on with CSV, although they are free to leave. Another 20 percent are offered employment on their projects.
International Links. In addition to involving more than 300 volunteers from Europe, Africa, Japan and the United States, CSV encourages British volunteers to serve in other parts of Europe as a second or third four-month placement. CSV is arranging visits for eastern European authorities to help them establish their own programs.
The Future. Each year 400,000 young people leave British schools. CSV aims for the time when each school leaver will want to give a year of service and when government will have the wisdom to enable them to do so. In this way, all can experience the "fun, adventure, and challenge" of full-time volunteering, and British communities will be more creative and more caring.
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