Waning interest in community service is spurring the Coalition for National Service and other groups to recommend various measures to encourage and finance voluntary national service for young people. This article discusses history, current definitions, and legislative initiatives concerned with national service. A sidebar provides a statement and…

Comparable surveys of volunteering were made by the Census Bureau in 1965 and 1974. It was found that the rate of volunteering for 14-24 year olds increased from 14% in 1965 to 20% in 1974. Females volunteered at a greater rate than males. With a level of activity within an order of magnitude of both education and employment, and with an annual…

This article discusses national, state, and local youth service, noting the initiatives of 1984-5, the association of national youth services with the military draft, some keys to deriving maximum value from youth service initiatives, and the outcomes that can be anticipated from a youth service program. (DCS)