by Susan P. Curnan, Della M. Hughes

Over the past several decades American society has displayed a substantial capacity for civic innovation, and the future of our democracy will depend on whether we can deepen and extend such innovation to solve major problems and transform the way we do politics. To be sure, the obstacles are forbidding and the outcomes uncertain. But important foundations have been slowly built through the painstaking public work of citizens, as well as through networks of professional organizers and practitioners who have learned to catalyze and support their work in progressively more refined and effective ways . . . Indeed . . . they have created forms of civic practice that are far more sophisticated in grappling with complex public problems and collaborating with highly diversified social actors than have ever existed in American history. 1

In this issue of CYD Journal, we look at many aspects of service-learning as a form of civic engagement. At its best, service instills care and concern for others, engenders a sense of the common good, and enriches our society. In the United States we have seen a blossoming of youth volunteerism in the past few years accompanied by an increasing expectation that service be incorporated into school, after school, and other community programs. What better way to inspire a long-term commitment to community and build strong young leaders?

As it grows, the service movement faces many challenges. Volunteerism is seen by many citizens and those from other countries as a construct of the white middle class and peculiar to the United States. Youth volunteerism is also criticized for lacking in its diversity of participants and places for service to take place. Others worry about promoting an ethic of volunteerism with the implicit or sometimes explicit assumption that it can replace paid jobs. Finally, volunteerism as a means of exploiting young people for "free" labor is a very real issue. Interestingly, to the credit of young people and their adult coaches alike, these challenges are not set forth as impenetrable barriers. Young people want to be of service; they also want conditions that support their ability to serve to be addressed. Our job as national, state, and community leaders is to ensure that we encourage the ethic of "giving back" and vigilantly guard against racism, classism, ageism, and other forms of exploitation.

In numerous interviews over the past few years, young people have repeatedly talked about the tension between engaging in service and completing school assignments and family responsibilities. Three key issues frequently emerge:

1. If young people are involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports, drama, youth councils, or boards of directors, the pressure increases. How can service be better integrated so that students are not put academically at risk due to their participation? Also, as young people commit themselves more deeply to leadership roles, who is helping them stay focused on post-secondary educational or other goals?
   
   
2. Young people are often needed to provide support to families as income earners for the whole family or for themselves. Creating an expectation of service can place these young people in the unfair position of appearing unmotivated to address community issues. How do we acknowledge the important role these young people play in their families and deepen their connection to the greater community?
   
   
3. In a country with such a significant population of immigrants, attending to cultural values that are not "mainstream" is important. I learned this past weekend that one in six people in Middle Tennessee was born in another country. Black Hawk County in Iowa also has a significant population of immigrants. This is a story that is more and more common around the country. Immigrants often feel demeaned when asked to work without pay. How do we bridge the customs of people from other countries in a way that honors them and continues to build our democracy?

The questions are our challenges, and challenges are the grist for our action. As Siriani and Friedlander note, civic engagement is about claiming "responsibility for and power over our nation's public affairs . . . [Responsibility] involves . . . engaging in the shared tasks that build communities and create the commonwealth on an everyday basis or, in the words of Jane Addams, for doing the 'civic housekeeping' needed to reproduce the republic . . . Democracy is fundamentally the shared work of citizens of modest virtue acting pragmatically to solve problems, build productive relationships, and produce things of value."2 Certainly, responsibility includes solving the problems and building the relationships necessary for young people to have a clear and unimpeded voice in making this country safe, just, and prosperous for all.

Susan P. Curnan is a professor and director of the Institute for Sustainable Development and Center for Youth and Communities at The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. She is also co-chair of the MBA, MM, and Ph.D. program concentration in Children, Youth, and Families.

Della M. Hughes is a visiting fellow at The Heller Graduate School, Brandeis University, former executive director of the National Network for Youth, and co-founder and president of the Institute for Just Communities.

1. Carmen Siriani and Lewis Friedlander (2001). Civic Innovation in America: Community Empowerment, Public Policy, and the Movement for Civic Renewal, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, p. 1. (back)
2. Ibid., p. 237 (back)