The importance of community service

THE EDITOR: A time was when community councils, known then as village councils, were a live wire in the community. Men and women who were intent on improving the standard of life in their community gave of themselves willingly and voluntarily. Today there still remain a few people willing to do community service, however general commitment and dedication to this cause is waning.

I was given an opportunity by the president of the New Village Community Council in Point Fortin to explain the term community service and to express its importance. I relished that role and was quite happy to carry it out. I went a little further to identify the role and responsibilities of the main officers on the executive. My presentation may be useful to other communities.

Community service is a non-paying job performed by one person or a group of people for the benefit of the community. Community service is not a responsibility or an obligation; it is a commitment. A person must want to do it with good intentions and not because they are being forced to do so. Community service is a way for a person to give back to their community.

The main reason community service is important is that it brings people together to solve problems and improve safety. It is important because it gets you closer to your community. It helps you recognise what the community needs and what more you can do to help.

There is a huge psychological benefit in doing community service: volunteering increases overall life satisfaction and helps you feel good about yourself because you are helping others. Doing community service really does make you feel good and makes you better people. It can be incredibly satisfying to serve others, and it makes you want to do more.

Community service involvement is important because volunteering teaches people of all ages and backgrounds compassion and understanding. Community councils are comprised of people who care about their community and want to make it a better place to live. The councils facilitate a wide range of activities which promote the well-being of their communities. They bring local people together to help make things happen.

Examples of the work of a community council:

1. Carry out projects to enhance the community for all types of citizens – the elderly, the youth, the sick, the mentally challenged, single mothers, drug addicts.

2. Organise community events.

3. Campaign on local issues.

The office holders are responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the council. This doesn’t mean that the office holders must do all the work, but they are responsible for making sure everything is done according to the scheme of things for community councils. All members of the council are equally responsible for its decisions and actions and may take on additional activities in support of the council.

All members play an important part by thinking creatively about what they can do together to improve the lives of local citizens. Once we can bring ourselves to a place of willingness for community service then we would recreate the memories and the good deeds of the older heads and those who would have gone before us, and ultimately our community would be better for it.

CUTHBERT SANDY, Point Fortin