 Some people think that all teenagers should be required to do unpaid work in their free

time to help the local community. They believe this would benefit both the individual
teenager and society as a whole. Do you agree or disagree?

From my perspective, it is reasonable to encourage all teenagers to do unpaid work in

their free time to help their local community instead of forcing them to participate. In
fact, high school students in the United States of America are required to complete a
certain amount of volunteer hours in their community in order to graduate high school.
These volunteer activities are unpaid and are often hosted by their high school or by the
local non-profit organizations on the weekends so that students can participate.

Doing unpaid work, or volunteer, will expose teenagers to new environments and help
them develop valuable soft skills. Some essential soft skills can include communication
skills, problem-solving, leadership, collaboration within a team, and many other skills
that will help them succeed later in university and/or workplace. Additionally, spending
spare time volunteering and interacting with new people outside of the school
environment can improve mental health and well-being of teenagers. As a matter of fact,
high school students do encounter stress. Gradually, it can lead to some undesirable,
harmful mental disorders. Thus, social interaction outside of school with other people are
crucial to boost teenagers’ mental well-being and confidence. Teenagers will have the
chance to get out of their comfort zone and step in a supportive work experience while
volunteering in their community. Instead of spending time playing video games or
scrolling on their phones, all teenagers are strongly encouraged to take part in their local
volunteer work.

Psychologically, it is not a pleasant feeling for anyone to be forced or required to do any

jobs, especially for teenagers to do unpaid work. Nowadays, there are more young people
who are willing to volunteer on a regular basis. Therefore, it is not necessary to oblige
teenagers to participate in volunteer work in their free time as they might not fully
comprehend the benefits of it yet. If required, teenagers will have to participate but not
willingly. Instead, it is better to encourage teenagers and let them encourage each other.