Tuesday, May 5, 1998
Volunteers alone can’t redeem social ills
VOLUNTEERISM: Programs needed to support health care, mentors,
job training, community service
Staff Editorial
Minnesota Daily
University Wire
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — At least 15 million children in the United
States live in poverty – without stable homes, nurturing caregivers
or adequate health care. Such a plight deserves new and effective
solutions. A year ago this week, at President Clinton’s Summit for
America’s Future, government leaders and celebrities promoted
national volunteerism as a solution.
They said volunteers could help millions of children find
mentors, health care, job training and community service
opportunities by the year 2000. America’s Promise – the Alliance
for Youth – was formed to coordinate this idealistic program. But
one year is not enough to evaluate the effectiveness of the program
because much of the movement remains in its planning stage.
However, it is clear that long-standing social problems cannot be
eradicated by volunteerism alone.
In retrospect, the volunteer campaign has succeeded in many
ways. Retired Gen. Colin Powell, head of America’s Promise, insists
that it encourages people, corporations and nonprofit organizations
to take charge of their communities. For instance, the number of
mentors increased by 22 percent for the national Big Brothers and
Big Sisters program. This summer, the city of St. Paul and H.B.
Fuller Co. will help establish a phone service for youths. The
service will help youths find mentors, jobs and recreational
activities. In Philadelphia, corporations have donated $1.4 million
to the community. Also since the summit, the city has already
provided 20,598 children with after-school programs. These results
certainly indicate a promising start. Supporters expect faster
progress in the months ahead.
Powell’s volunteer movement, however, has flaws that cannot be
overlooked. While the number of volunteers has risen significantly,
the quality has not. Skilled mentors, tutors and coaches are needed
so that the campaign’s goals for youth are met. Instead, volunteer
efforts seem to focus on other areas.
In Philadelphia, only 10 percent of the 120,000 youths who were
promised mentors actually were given one. Most of the 93 million
Americans who claim to be volunteers paint houses, usher in
churches and write out checks – philanthropic efforts that do not
demand much commitment.
Mentoring and tutoring requires far more time and effort. In
addition, many volunteers who are willing to get involved in these
programs are improperly trained, overworked or assigned menial
tasks. Poor management, in fact, discourages some volunteers who
feel that their time is being wasted. Stronger leadership roles and
incentives such as tax breaks might encourage more substantial
volunteer efforts with youth.
Clearly, welfare reform and government spending cuts make it
necessary to enlist community service for the nation’s social
programs. Powell and other organizers should be lauded for their
initiative and accomplishments.
But trends show they cannot recruit enough qualified mentors for
troubled youths – the most significant goal of the summit. While
the campaign is not "simple rhetoric" as critics claim, it is also
not enough to eliminate America’s social ills. The plight of
disadvantaged children is much too serious to be left up to
volunteers and corporate philanthropists. National volunteerism is
a complement, not a substitute, of dwindling government
programs.