According to my own, unscientific study, six out of ten students only complete social service hours because it is obligatory. One out of every ten students either pay for their hours to be certified or have them given to them by organizations.  Only three out of ten students complete their community service hours from the heart. What these numbers tell us is that since students don’t like to do community service, it should not be obligatory, but rather voluntary.  

According to the Colombian law 1164 from 2007, to be able to graduate one is required to perform certain number of social service hours; which in effect, causes juniors and seniors to desperately start looking where to complete them. “A social service event outside of school, Cartas al Niño Dios was held last saturday, this is without a doubt the most desired day for kids with low resources to attend to. They get to have a nice time with their volunteer and receive some attention they never receive at home.” Mary Luz Meza, TCS foundation manager stated.

The main goal for this type of event is to fill the kids heart and make them forget their problems for at least for one day. The volunteer’s job is to show them comprehension and offer the kid a one-day friendship. Most of the volunteers decide not to do what they are supposed to and in effect, hurt the kids feelings and damage their high expectations of the event. Still they are people who argue social service should be obligatory since it helps students get out of the “bubble” they live in and understand society in a wider way, this is not TCS case.

Since Middle School, social service is presented to students with the idea that it’s a prerequisite for graduation, instead of presenting it as something necessary for the community or as something that changes someone’s life or even, their own. Students see it as an obligation and instead of helping the needy, they do more damage than before thanks to their lack of interest. “It’s sad to see how some volunteers leave their kids alone in this magical day for them, they spend the whole time on their phone, talking to their friends and ignoring the kid they were supposed to spend the day with, and then have the nerve to ask me to sign their volunteering hours sheet.” Valentina Lezcano event staff manager said.  

Social service hours should not be required to graduate since it not only affects those students who don’t like to do it, but also the needy who would appreciate better someone that actually want to spend time with them. “She (the volunteer) needed to do something else I think, I wanted to stay more time with her.” Manuel Jose Cayzedo kid.