that proposal
well actually i've i you know it kind of caught me by surprise i haven't ever really thought about
uh you know mandatory public service i obviously believe in public service and you know think it's a good idea i i i i'm not sure if they would get
um-hum
the service they anticipate if they force it do you understand what i'm saying i mean you know you're gonna get a lot more commitment a lot more desire a lot more uh
that's a good yeah good point
maybe quality time effort energy from somebody who really truly wants to be there so although i believe in it i'm not sure requiring it would be the way to go
um-hum
you know what i've noticed at least in our in my field that that works is to require before a person can
enter the school program that they do a number of volunteer hours in that field or in in an environment that's related to that field and
um-hum
that might be more motivating um in relation to what you just mentioned if it were somehow of interest to them
that's true if there were enough opportunities
i suppose uh that would really require a lot of
participation on the part of employers to require a certain number of
community uh community service hours in their area that's
well that or have something available in that field you know and and when you go to employers then is it really a public service
um
thing or more of an internship you know i don't know
uh-huh uh-huh
i really like the idea of young people getting a chance to
to do something of a volunteer nature maybe in another country but that that's difficult for a lot of people i guess financially to
to manage but it would certainly i think contribute to a person's responsibility and and sense of maturity um to recognize what other cultures and other countries
go through in terms of their day to day existence if you're working in Peace Corps for example you're really gonna be able to learn those things
i i definitely agree and i i had you know some family that did serve in the Peace Corps and i i always thought it was a wonderful thing
um i i do think that if people have the opportunity to do it it's something that you know they won't forget it enriches your life and gives you like you said a a good understanding of
uh-huh
oh well what do i wanna say we take so much we we take what we have for granted you know we're very blessed in this country and and we take so much for granted because we really don't realize uh
yeah we really
um-hum
how other cultures and other other countries live so i i definitely agree that it's it's good i just you know it i i
um-hum um-hum
to to require it i think would take a lot of forethought and planning if you wanna get the type of service you know that you're anticipating that you're hoping for
yes
it's a little challenging today too to think about being in another country where there's
uh potentially political or military problems that are gonna effect Peace Corps workers if a person is volunteering
yeah
it's one thing because they recognize there's a minimal danger where where they might be but if you're
expecting that they have to do it then you you you perhaps the whoever the whoever the organization is requiring it does assume some responsibility too
that's true
that's true and then i guess i can look around you know i i automatically when the uh
switchboard suggested Peace Corps i kind of like you i thought international or going out of the country and i i look around though and there's an awful lot of public service that could be done within our own communities and our own
um-hum
you know a lot of times people say i don't wanna go somewhere else i wanna help my own community you know United United Way i want my dollars to work here something like that so that might also be a motivating factor then
yes
um-hum
um-hum
i i think it's terrific to have criminals involved in community services and i really like the idea of avoiding jail time for people who are just um um
paying if you wanna call it that for minor offenses having them do something in the in the community
minor offenses yeah
i agree i think that's a very good idea
what you said the field you're in what field are you in does it apply
i i'm an occupational therapist and so it's hospital work that um i know this is true in occupational therapy as well as physical therapy there's so many people who are applying to the schools right now
that they require that you do X number of volunteer hours i think it's a hundred or so before you can even be accepted into the school program to become a therapist
okay
so you have to do it in that field actually
like if you like you
i believe you do yeah you have to volunteer in a department that that provides occupational therapy or physical therapy if that's the
the area you're pursuing i'm sure that there are other reasons for them wanting people to do that because a person may actually get into the program and not have a very good idea of what
it is to be an OT or a PT and having been a volunteer they'll certainly see people on the job and recognize well this is really what i wanna do i wanna spend three or four years getting this experience
yes
that's true well and it might also make them realize jeez this isn't what i thought it was i don't wanna do this that's a good idea
exactly
exactly which which is which is definitely the case in
