Some people think that all teenagers should be required to do unpaid work in their free time to help the local community. They believe it would benefit both individual teenagers and society as a whole. Do you agree or disagree?

It is common that teenagers are required to participate in voluntary work during their holiday time in  many countries. While it is true that there are some harmful effects of unpaid work during their holiday, I firmly believe that this policy can provide several advantages for teenager themselves well as the community.

Forcing the youth to work during their holiday can have a negative influence on their mental and physical development. Instead of spending their free time relaxing with family and friends, these adolescents have to work long hours without receiving any incomes. It can create unnecessary stress and influence their motivation to return to study. In addition, some companies or private organisations can have more chances to exploit the free labour force. For example, teenagers are sometimes required to carry out heavy work which might not suitable with their physical abilities.

However, there is no denying that this strategy can give valuable benefits for both adolescents and the society.  First, participants can learn many soft skills. By working and interacting with people from different social backgrounds, young individuals can exchange knowledge and and learn how to work cooperatively as a team. This can be a good preparation step for the future career. In addition, such voluntary work provided by adolescents plays an important role in the development of the society. For example, voluntary services such as planting trees in public streets can reduce pollution and improve the environment of the local area. Furthermore, young volunteers can also choose to work for some charitable organisations.  By working there, members can contribute themselves to assist disadvantaged people or those who have just recovered from natural disasters.

All in all, it is obvious that requiring the youth to participate in voluntary tasks can benefit both themselves and the society. Young participants can learn valuable skills to prepare for the professional career while the disadvantaged people can receive more assistance from the young voluntary workers.