An army of volunteers
The end of conscription may have uncharitable effects
Jul 15th 2010 | BERLIN
SIX days a week a small fleet of compact cars sets off from the Diakonie-Zentrum in Mariendorf in southern Berlin to deliver cheap hot meals to pensioners in the district. More often than not they are driven by “Zivis”, young men who have refused military service and so are obliged to spend nine months in “community service” instead. Some 90,000 a year man hospitals, sports clubs and kindergartens across Germany (a lucky few monitor eagles in the forest). Anything involving driving is popular. Alexander Fläschner, a meals-on-wheels man, is happy “to see a bit of Berlin by car” before he begins his studies in the city.
The government’s decision to shorten basic military service from nine months to six and the possibility it might be eliminated altogether is causing worry at the Mariendorf centre and at thousands of similar outfits. Since community service is an alternative to conscription, it will be cut back to the same degree. Ending it altogether would have “huge consequences” for “social welfare as a whole”, says Jens Kreuter, the federal official in charge of the service.
Zivis are not supposed to replace regular workers, nor do they often have the skills. They provide useful, and for some people vital, extra services. Often they are the ones who read to folk at old-age homes. For some people who cannot feed themselves the choice may be between a Zivi and a feeding tube. They are thought to bring fresh ideas to the organisations they serve and to take away a more rounded view of the world. Mr Fläschner says he feels “enriched” by his contact with the aged.
Some 12,000 help out at Diakonie, a vast charity linked to the Protestant church (of which the Mariendorf meal service is a part). The shortening of service to six months will make it hard for Zivis to perform some functions. It will be “hardly possible” to train them to provide accident assistance to the Diakonie’s rescue service, says Kerstin Griese, the group’s head of social policy. In Mariendorf three of the seven drivers are Zivis; they cost less and work longer hours than the others. If community service is eliminated, says Heidi Adams, the manager, the cost of the meals will have to go up.
Charities hope that Zivis will opt to stay for the extra three months, or longer (it looks as if a third will do so). Ms Griese wants the government to provide extra funds for a voluntary “social year” if community service is eliminated. She thinks Germany has something to learn from the United States, where volunteerism among the young is “almost an obligation”. If lawmakers remove the compulsion to serve, perhaps a sense of duty will take its place.
4 comments:
What are your thoughts on this idea?
I think it is a good way of making people help in the community. Majority of Americans will refuse to serve in the military. Thus maybe if we re-instituted the draft along with the option to not serve if you served equivalent amount of time in the community. Not only would this reduce the likely hood of going to war, but it would also improve community involvement.
Although his could in some ways be perceived as a human rights violation...
Love love love the idea of mandatory public service, in any form that may be!
That is such an interesting way for the government to balance out civic duties... and I like what Ram said about encouraging community involvement. Seeing your contribution to your country directly and daily.
I would love to see something along the lines of a year or two's worth of mandatory service. We have institutions set up that do great work: Americorps, Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc. plus a plethora of smaller ngo's that promote volunteerism.
Imagine the implications if those that ran our government each had to put in serious time volunteering, working with the young, the poor, people from other cultures. Clearly, there is no way to coerce people into being compassionate but encouraging a discourse between the upper echelon of our society and the people, whom they represent would at least begin connectivity beyond rhetoric.
McCain had suggested something along these lines in his campaign, and I must say, I'm for it.
Post a Comment