Give to Get!

Returning home from a day of filming, I struck up a conversation with a good looking guy, not because he was good looking might I add, but because he was wearing an OrangeRockCorps t-shirt. I have heard about this company on the radio and on Channel 4, it is a company that allows young people to volunteer their time for a couple of hours and in return, they get given tickets to up and coming festivals and concerts.

I asked Courtney what he had done today (I am not psychic, he still had the large sticker with his name written on it, stuck to the top left corner of his t-shirt), he told me that he and his friends painted the walls of some building in Shoreditch. In return for 4 hours work they gained tickets to see Mark Ronson in concert. "Ahh that's really good", I replied and I wished I stopped there but I didn't. The next sentence began with "Whilst I think it’s a great idea, I feel you young people are pampered and not encouraged to do something with no return..."

I saw the smile on his face slowly disappear; though his eyes told me he was intrigued in what this woman had to say. However I never got to say it because the train rolled up to Lewisham and he jumped off the train like speedy Gonzales, not before saying "Fair enough, you’re entitled to your opinion". He wasn't crushed and I know I didn't ruin his day, but I felt the need to write this for two reasons. Firstly, I know I have a good point and secondly, if somehow Courtney stumbles across this I want him to know that I am not a Meany!

When people are encouraged to give with a return, I feel the element of expectation will always follow and giving is not about receiving. Helping because you can and want to, should be enough. The reward comes from making a difference. As I am saying this I know a lot of my thinking pattern comes from being a counsellor. I have 253 hours of counselling clients for free, not part of a community order or any other type of punishment. I do it because I can and I do not expect anything in return. All I hope for is that I have in someway, given them what they needed in a time of emotional difficulty. The power of doing and giving is heavily underrated in today's society which is a shame.

Courtney and 8,000 other young people have worked on 100 projects over the summer holidays and been rewarded. I acknowledge that this is a good scheme as it enables young people to meet new people, work and go to concerts that they probably would not have been able to afford. However it is the reward that is the motivator and therefore I cannot overlook the longer term message that this promotes. Companies are feeding into a Generation Now culture, where everyone expects something for something. Yes, there probably is a small percentage of individuals that enjoyed the experience and would volunteer again and for free, though something tells me the majority would only do it again if the same incentives were in place, which defeats the whole object of volunteering. Compassion is declining whilst expectation is rising; the notion of giving to get given is fuelling a brat pack selfish society.



Related Posts:
1.Underage and Having Sex
2.Whats Love Got to Do with it?
3.Whats in a Name?




 © 2010 Lisa Bent