Community Services are the activities or services that are donated by a person or group for the benefit of the public or one of its institutions. Community Service is a broader term than volunteering. While volunteers choose to partake in voluntary work of their own free will, community services are carried out by volunteers and also by people who are compelled to take part.
In the UK, as well as some other countries, some people are required to give their time to community services as a result of criminal justice sanctions. There are also other reasons for a person taking part in community services against their free will around the world, including citizenship requirements in Germany and as a requirement of students in order to graduate from some high schools in the United States.
There are organisations that are established in order for people to volunteer to take part in community services. One example of these is CSV in the UK. The organisation accepts volunteers from all walks of life. They believe that anyone can volunteer to take part in community servicesand do not reject any applications. Over 150,000 people volunteer with them in the UK each year. Volunteering in community services with these organisations may be part-time, full-time or for the duration of a gap year. There are also specific community services projects for the over 50s. Typical voluntary community services include conservation and environmental work, befriending and mentoring and helping people with disabilities.
Although community services a generally unpaid, they do bring other benefits to volunteers. Some organisations such as AmeriCorps in the United States are called members, rather than volunteers and do receive some compensation in return for committing themselves to public services for a year. However, broader rewards which apply to almost all community service volunteers include the satisfaction and sense of achievement that comes from helping a community or an individual who is in need. The experience of leadership and experience of working for specific companies or in particular industries that can be gained through volunteering for community services is also beneficial when applying for future paid employment.
