Many young people work on a volunteer basis, and this can only be beneficial for both the
individual and society as a whole. However, I do not agree that we should therefore force
all teenagers to do unpaid work.
Most young people are already under enough pressure with their studies, without being
given the added responsibility of working in their spare time. School is just as demanding
as a full-time job, and teachers expect their students to do homework and exam revision
on top of attending lessons every day. When young people do have some free time, we
should encourage them to enjoy it with their friends or to spend it doing sports and
other leisure activities. They have many years of work ahead of them when they finish
their studies.
At the same time, I do not believe that society has anything to gain from obliging young
people to do unpaid work. In fact, I would argue that it goes against the values of a
free and fair society to force a group of people to do something against their will.
Doing this can only lead to resentment amongst young people, who would feel that
they were being used, and parents, who would not want to be told how to raise their
children. Currently, nobody is forced to volunteer, and this is surely the best system.
In conclusion, teenagers may choose to work for free and help others, but in my opinion
we should not make this compulsory.