Compulsory community service for young people could become a reality if Labour succeeds in winning another term in government.
Unveiling the proposals last week, Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote in a Sunday newspaper about his hopes to set a "clear expectation" that all young people undertake at least 50 hours of community service by the age of 19. The aim is to integrate the scheme into the plan to raise the minimum education leaving age to 18 from 2011.
But is it necessary to make community service compulsory? Ginny Lunn, director of policy and development at the Prince's Trust, says: "From our experience young people want to give back and do things for their community, and they want to be seen as role models, so there isn't a need to make it compulsory.
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