Let's "Compulsory volunteer" service!

[Taro Toporific]

Compulsory volunteer service
Via Tomoaki Nomi Date: 11/21/2004 8:10:00 AM Subject: NBR'S JAPAN FORUM (SOC)
> Looking back through recent NHK morning news
> broadcasts, I discovered that
> Tokyo is planning to introduce compulsory "volunteer service"
> in the school curriculum from next year.

The Tokyo Board of Education has changed the name of course to "hoshi taiken katsudo" (Community Service Experience?) from the previous name precisely because it becomes compulsory under the new plan. See the Asahi and Nikkei stories below for their explanations.

Japanese only
http://www.asahi.com/edu/news/TKY200411100354.html
http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/shakai/20041111AT1G1100611112004.html

[Mulboyne]

http://www.asahi.com/english/vox/TKY200411190132.html

Three years from now, "hoshi taiken katsudo," or community service activities, will be compulsory for students at Tokyo metropolitan senior high schools. The Chinese characters in "hoshi" denote "to revere and serve." As such, the word traditionally implied a rigid pecking order, by which people were expected to serve their "superiors" - their lords and masters.

Some people may read an ennobling and beautiful spirit into the concept. Others may dislike it as an incentive for forced servitude. I feel there ought to be a better alternative that does not remind us of a wretched time in history.

[dimwit]

Compulsory volunteer service
Via Tomoaki Nomi Date: 11/21/2004 8:10:00 AM Subject: NBR'S JAPAN FORUM (SOC)
Looking back through recent NHK morning news broadcasts, I discovered that Tokyo is planning to introduce compulsory "volunteer service" in the school curriculum from next year.

The Tokyo Board of Education has changed the name of course to "hoshi taiken katsudo" (Community Service Experience?) from the previous name precisely because it becomes compulsory under the new plan. See the Asahi and Nikkei stories below for their explanations.

'Community Service Experience' is a major component of my high school in Canada. So the story is not uniquely Japanese.

http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/rhking/indexb.html

A defining element of R. H. King Academy, community involvement continues to provide students with a wide variety of voluntary opportunities. In addition to contributing to community projects, students gain a greater sense of social responsibility, enhance their skills, and explore potential career choices. It is significant to note that the Ontario Ministry of Education adopted the model of community involvement pioneered by R. H. King Academy. Currently, all grade nine and ten students in Ontario must complete a minimum of forty hours of community involvement. To re-affirm King's support of community involvement, King's grade nine and ten students must complete a total of seventy-five hours of voluntary service. Students in grades eleven, twelve, and OAC also complete community involvement hours.

What I always love is the way they are required to volunteer to clean up the classroom at the end of the day.

[Taro Toporific]

http://www.asahi.com/english/vox/TKY200411190132.html

Three years from now, "hoshi taiken katsudo," or community service activities, will be compulsory for students at Tokyo metropolitan senior high schools. The Chinese characters in "hoshi" denote "to revere and serve." As such, the word traditionally implied a rigid pecking order, by which people were expected to serve their "superiors" - their lords and masters.

Hey, I just looooooive the Japanese oxymoron, "paid volunteer."

If you work as a volunteer, you can expect "taxi money," "kimochi, etc.
Once I worked on an LDP campaign van waving and haranguing the neighborhood in Kita-ku. I about swallowed my tongue when then gave me 8,000yen for my "taxi" at the end of long afternoon of screaming.

[Neo-Rio]

Paid volunteer??

Isn't that what the average salaryman works as?

[dimwit]

Paid volunteer??

Isn't that what the average salaryman works as?

Except when they are doing voluntary overtime.