We are pleased that many young people have been volunteering in the territory, and we hope that schools, businesses and non-profit groups will do all they can to support such involvement.

 

Service, of course, is nothing new for Virgin Islands youths. Groups like the Girl Guides, the Scouts, the Interact Club and others have been around for decades, and many schools and churches encourage students to give back.

But in recent years, young people in the territory have seemed increasingly committed to the community.

We are particularly optimistic about one of the broadest initiatives designed to encourage their efforts: The new Citizen Service Programme requires public high school students to log 120 hours of service before they graduate.

This initiative, which was launched at the start of the school year, is a win-win, and we hope it continues and expands.

Besides benefitting the community on many levels, volunteerism benefits the youths themselves.

Most importantly, perhaps, it builds their character, especially when they get the opportunity to work with the less fortunate. Young people who learn the importance of service early are more likely to grow up to be conscientious adults who are sympathetic to the needs of society.

Service can also provide work experience, a benefit not to be taken lightly in these difficult economic times.

Moreover, a good record of volunteerism can help students get into a better college or university: Many tertiary institutions abroad, especially in the United States, consider a student’s community contributions as part of the admissions process. And those same schools often require students to carry out service once they have enrolled.

Too often in the Virgin Islands, young people — particularly males — get a bad rap because of a few bad apples whose criminal behaviour makes headlines. But the conscientious youths who contribute positively to this territory far outnumber the troublemakers. And the more they lend a helping hand, the more the community will appreciate this fact.

In the future, we hope that all residents will work together to encourage young people to volunteer, even if it means a little preliminary work in order to create consistent opportunities. In the long run, such efforts will pay off many times over.

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