Building a community, whether professionally or in your private life is composed of many small acts of connection. Taking the time out of a busy life to give back locally can be logistically challenging, but incredibly rewarding.
Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.
– Booker T. Washington
I was recently asked to participate in a panel discussion with a state representative, mayor of a nearby city, district court judge and board of selectman chair at a first-ever middle school civics day. After a general introduction to the students — who as middle school pupils spanned the gamut from older children to younger adults — a series of smaller break-out sessions followed, where the students peppered us one-on-one with questions on topics as varied as global warming, local public transportation issues, wastewater treatment, child poverty, plastic contamination of the ocean (I live in a coastal town) and a host of other issues breathtaking in terms of scope and impressive in the sincerity of the interviewers. The middle schoolers share their ideas for student-led civics projects, and used the assembled speakers as sounding boards and subject matter experts to explore next steps.
New legislation in the state requiring both civics education and civics project for middle and high school students was the proximate cause for the panel discussion, recognizing that current requirements for learning and contributing to the public good could use some enhancement, but the role of community service is not uniquely a K-12 education issue. A recent Bloomberg article on the decline of volunteerism among adults (which typically peaks between the ages of 35-54 cited the impact of longer commuting times, a drop in homeownership rates and a delayed launch of marriage and family among other factors as contributing to the decline in community engagement. Covid restrictions and protections exacerbated an already declining trend, resulting in communities that are less cohesive, community members who feel more socially isolated and a general lowering of trust between groups who don’t collaborate to achieve a common goal.
It can be a challenge as a professional to fit community service in to a packed schedule. Local volunteer boards — whether appointed or elected — consume time and emotional capital, as one must navigate competing opinions with individuals who are often neighbors, escalating the diplomatic complexity of such discussions. It can often be lonely work, with few volunteering or attending routine meetings, or attending only when an issue is polarizing, to vent without benefit of context.
“Why do you do it?” was the first question posed to us by our student interrogators. The answers varied by functional role and scope of civic engagement, but all had a common thread: It feels good to help. It feels great to contribute. All of the panel members had experienced the positive impact of community engagement and additive action to the social fabric and all bore witness to the subtractive effect of lack of engagement.
As we finished up our late morning, the energy, engagement and hopefulness of the students was truly encouraging. As someone who often volunteers around educational issues, it was validation that the area I chose to engage in was still a source of renewal and optimism. The kids truly get it. “I want be a part of the solution,” one energetic interrogator informed me, “because if I’m not, someone else will decide it for me.”
It really gives you hope for the future.