Talk:National Service & AmeriCorps

From Pete Ashdown Campaign Collaboration Wiki

Are there other volunteer organizations (beyond Americorps) that could also count towards this national service program? Granted, there is a fine line between what is civil service. Would full-time LDS, Jehovah Witness, or other religious service count? What about working or volunteering at a Boy or Girl Scout Camp full-time? --Anhhung18901 08:56, 7 December 2005 (MST)

I think religious service towards federal college tuition reimbursement would be a tough sell.--pashdown 11:31, 7 December 2005 (MST)

Yeah, I knew anything that was not directly related to the government would be a hard sale. The whole compulsory national service concept is not that bad of an idea. Everything I have heard about the Civilian Conservation Corps and service for conscientious objectors has been neutral or positive. However, the CCC was needed since so many men were unemployed and needed something to do, and during war time conscientious objectors needed something to do somewhat like draftees while not dodging the draft. In both cases, there was a pressing need for the organizations. I can see why some see that patriotism and respect for our country is low among young people, but is this a good enough reason to further use an AmeriCorps-like program? --Anhhung18901 22:56, 7 December 2005 (MST)

I’m not entirely sure I would push the government for giving Americorps credit-like to those who perform religious service, but I’m just trying to look at this deeply. Besides, there are many great organizations, other than those like Americorps, that many people selflessly help. Why confine this financial help for education to Americorps?

While I understand that giving credit or scholarship money for religious service is a hard sell, one could argue that current government action justifies it. The government grants several religious organizations non-profit status since they perform functions and devote resources that the government would have to if the organization wasn’t involved. Thus, it allows people to deduct from their taxes when they contribute to non-profits, including many churches. This means that a person acting in the church’s name is at least indirectly involved in helping lessen the government’s burden. Humanitarian service is clearly applicable, but one could also argue proselytizing helps a church organization lessen the government’s burden. Someone participating in a person’s admission into a religious organization is not only bolstering that organization’s ability to help the government, but it could also help increase its ability to do so. More manpower and financial support are potentially garnered. Therefore, even a person involved in non-humanitarian religious service is indirectly helping the government.--Anhhung18901 22:30, 10 June 2006 (MDT)

What areas could be addressed with these programs? One that immediately comes to mind is disaster relief. It seems like we have a major disaster, maybe not on the Katrina level, but at least once a year. Katrina level is once a decade. This corp could also do international disaster relief.--pashdown 12:40, 13 January 2006 (MST)

I don't want to promote my own ideas, but I think that my ideas below concerning service learning degree options would help address disasters. For example, if we send students from a AmeriCorps-like group to a foreign country for aid, then language majors would have invaluable communication skills with natives (that's if they speak the language of the area). Clearly, health related majors could help with immediate medical treatment. Later, engineering and economics/business majors could help rebuild the area both physically and economically.--Anhhung18901 20:09, 13 January 2006 (MST)

What about offering college scholarship money for service done concurrently with course work? Universities and colleges could develop service learning intensive degree options. For instance, English majors could tutor/mentor elementary and secondary students in language arts. Math/Engineering/Science/Technology majors could tutor/mentor as well. Business/Economics majors could consult and help run small businesses started by low income people. Pre-Medical/Nursing majors could volunteer at hospitals and other health care facilities. Foreign Language majors could use their language skills to teach immigrants English. Performing Arts majors could help run community arts programs. Journalism majors could do stories about non-profit organizations and the voiceless. Catch my drift? BYU would be a good source for learning more about service learning (done both domestically and abroad). This way people do not have to completely forgo school for two years to earn scholarship money. It wouldn't be that bad if it added a semester or two to their degrees. --Anhhung18901 23:10, 7 December 2005 (MST)

A concern about offering four years of in-state college tuition for full-time service in AmeriCorps is the great difference between the in-state tuition among states. In-state tuition back East is much higher than in-state tuition in Western states like Utah. Therefore, would the work done by a person from the East be worth more than the same work done by the same person from a state with low in-state tuition? Maybe AmeriCorps would favor youth in low in-state tuition states since they would be "cheaper." --Anhhung18901 11:41, 8 December 2005 (MST)

I don't think the military is concerned with this kind of imbalance. There is only so much you can do to make it equal for all.--pashdown 12:41, 13 January 2006 (MST)

You're right, Pete. Doesn't the military offer a flat tuition package? Would you accept this condition for a program like AmeriCorps.--Anhhung18901 20:10, 13 January 2006 (MST)

This may have been mentioned somewhere before, but "National Service" is potentially confusable with Britian's postwar marshal draft. 68.39.174.238 15:48, 4 March 2006 (MST)