Too many young people are denied the opportunity to participate in national service programs.

[elleng]

Let’s fix that: http://omly.us/om-nationalservice

National service should be part of what it means to be an American citizen. Our country faces great challenges—from economic inequality to education to climate change—and we need the talents and efforts of every citizen to overcome them and make our nation stronger. That’s why Governor O’Malley believes that every young American should have the opportunity to serve his or her country through national service.

National service should be expanded to help address our nation’s biggest challenges. The benefits are immense and go beyond the value of the service itself. National service is a critical strategy for addressing youth unemployment, which Governor O’Malley has committed to cut in half with good jobs within three years. It creates pathways for young people to meaningful careers, and often leads to lifetimes of public service. For many, national service is a springboard to college, and can provide college course credit or financial support. And, by bringing people together—including people from all ethnic, income, and geographic backgrounds—national service will become a shared experience among all Americans, helping to build community and heal our democracy.

GOAL: PROVIDE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO NATIONAL SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Reinvest In Domestic National Service

[HeiressofBickworth]

1. The question is

"opportunity" or "required". As I've stated on other posts, I'm opposed to a draft, not only against a draft of women but also against a draft of men. It is involuntary servitude.

Certainly if a program is an opportunity that one may or may not choose to take, go for it. But required servitude is nothing more than slavery with rankings and ribbons.

[elleng]

4. Some details here. Not remotely 'required servitude.'

Reinvest In Domestic National Service

Younger Americans intuitively understand the importance of public service and are doing it in record numbers. However, more than two out of three applicants who want to participate in national service programs are denied the opportunity because our nation has invested too little to expand and strengthen AmeriCorps and other service corps.

As president, Governor O’Malley will:

Fully Fund AmeriCorps To Provide 250,000 Service Opportunities By 2020—And 500,000 By 2024, Putting America On A Path To 1,000,000 Service Opportunities. The bipartisan Serve America Act of 2009 authorizes up to 250,000 AmeriCorps positions. However, Congress has failed to provide adequate funding for national service programs. Republicans have repeatedly tried to defund them and have not made expansion a priority.
Every young American who wants to serve their country should be able to do so. O’Malley will recommit our nation to expanding AmeriCorps and Senior Corps—helping Americans lead lifetimes of service. To start, he will ensure that proven programs have adequate funding to meet demand, so that the need for quality volunteers and services drives funding, and not the other way around.

Develop New Federal Service Corps. Federal agencies should invest in national service, in partnership with AmeriCorps or other service organizations, to fulfill their missions. For example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently launched FEMA Corps to assist with disaster preparedness, response, and recovery—saving the agency as much as $60 million annually, while preparing thousands of young people for careers in emergency management.
O’Malley will charge other federal agencies to launch similarly targeted service corps. He has already announced plans to create a Clean Energy Job Corps, which could be housed within the Department of Energy and would work to disseminate clean energy technologies across America. Other federal service corps programs could address veterans’ issues, education equity, and childhood hunger.

Partner With The Private Sector To Expand Service. Private businesses, industry groups, non-profits and others are helping lead the expansion of national service. O’Malley will support ongoing efforts to develop an online Service Year Exchange that centralizes all public and private service programs, providing a resource for young people seeking service positions, organizations seeking service members, and funders looking to support these efforts. As a first step, he will launch a public-private certification program that allows organizations to create full-time national service programs that offer stipends as well as education and job-training opportunities to young people. O’Malley will also encourage private sector employers and universities to give preference to those who have completed a year of national service.
Expand National Service Opportunities Abroad

Today, our nation faces increasingly interconnected challenges, from climate change to pandemic disease to growing political instability. In the face of these challenges, the Peace Corps is more important than ever. Volunteers work in collaboration with the global community to address the world’s toughest issues, while playing a critical role as citizen ambassadors in villages and towns that have sometimes never before met an American. Moreover, the Peace Corps provides invaluable skills to its volunteers that help them thrive in careers in our globalized world.

As president, Governor O’Malley will:

Double Peace Corps Membership. Existing funding supports fewer than 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers each year. O’Malley will partner with Congress to finally double the number of Peace Corps volunteers, providing critical public services in the corners of the world that most need them.
Help Achieve Full Employment For American Veterans. Returning servicemen and women are hungry for ways to continue serving their country. Many are ideal candidates for the Peace Corps: they are comfortable working in foreign environments and have real professional skills to offer, often including language ability. Expanding the Peace Corps should be used as a way to fight veterans’ unemployment, especially among younger veterans who experience unemployment at higher rates than other veterans.
Make National Service A Gateway To Good Jobs And Careers

Young Americans who complete a service year after high school are better prepared for college and often pursue public service careers. For many young people, a year of service provides opportunities for mentorship and leadership, and a path to a career that would not have existed otherwise. Governor O’Malley wants a Year of Service to become the most sought-after, prestigious and rewarding opportunity available to young people in America, serving as a pathway to high-quality jobs and satisfying careers.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Sounds like compulsory donation of time and labor to be delivered at the convenience of the State

not of the individual. I refuse to see LGBT youth forced into some macho frenzied faith based labor program while we don't even have any protections from discrimination in the workplace. Is he unaware of the fact that his 'path to a job' does not work when those with the jobs are anti gay bigots empowered by law to say 'we don't hire you people'?

First things first, Martin.

[elleng]

3. Didn't read the details, I guess.

I won't bore you with TOO much of his proposals. Here are a few:

Reinvest In Domestic National Service

Younger Americans intuitively understand the importance of public service and are doing it in record numbers. However, more than two out of three applicants who want to participate in national service programs are denied the opportunity because our nation has invested too little to expand and strengthen AmeriCorps and other service corps.

As president, Governor O’Malley will:

Fully Fund AmeriCorps To Provide 250,000 Service Opportunities By 2020—And 500,000 By 2024, Putting America On A Path To 1,000,000 Service Opportunities. The bipartisan Serve America Act of 2009 authorizes up to 250,000 AmeriCorps positions. However, Congress has failed to provide adequate funding for national service programs. Republicans have repeatedly tried to defund them and have not made expansion a priority.
Every young American who wants to serve their country should be able to do so. O’Malley will recommit our nation to expanding AmeriCorps and Senior Corps—helping Americans lead lifetimes of service. To start, he will ensure that proven programs have adequate funding to meet demand, so that the need for quality volunteers and services drives funding, and not the other way around.

Develop New Federal Service Corps. Federal agencies should invest in national service, in partnership with AmeriCorps or other service organizations, to fulfill their missions. For example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recently launched FEMA Corps to assist with disaster preparedness, response, and recovery—saving the agency as much as $60 million annually, while preparing thousands of young people for careers in emergency management.
O’Malley will charge other federal agencies to launch similarly targeted service corps. He has already announced plans to create a Clean Energy Job Corps, which could be housed within the Department of Energy and would work to disseminate clean energy technologies across America. Other federal service corps programs could address veterans’ issues, education equity, and childhood hunger.

Partner With The Private Sector To Expand Service. Private businesses, industry groups, non-profits and others are helping lead the expansion of national service. O’Malley will support ongoing efforts to develop an online Service Year Exchange that centralizes all public and private service programs, providing a resource for young people seeking service positions, organizations seeking service members, and funders looking to support these efforts. As a first step, he will launch a public-private certification program that allows organizations to create full-time national service programs that offer stipends as well as education and job-training opportunities to young people. O’Malley will also encourage private sector employers and universities to give preference to those who have completed a year of national service.
Expand National Service Opportunities Abroad

Today, our nation faces increasingly interconnected challenges, from climate change to pandemic disease to growing political instability. In the face of these challenges, the Peace Corps is more important than ever. Volunteers work in collaboration with the global community to address the world’s toughest issues, while playing a critical role as citizen ambassadors in villages and towns that have sometimes never before met an American. Moreover, the Peace Corps provides invaluable skills to its volunteers that help them thrive in careers in our globalized world.

As president, Governor O’Malley will:

Double Peace Corps Membership. Existing funding supports fewer than 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers each year. O’Malley will partner with Congress to finally double the number of Peace Corps volunteers, providing critical public services in the corners of the world that most need them.
Help Achieve Full Employment For American Veterans. Returning servicemen and women are hungry for ways to continue serving their country. Many are ideal candidates for the Peace Corps: they are comfortable working in foreign environments and have real professional skills to offer, often including language ability. Expanding the Peace Corps should be used as a way to fight veterans’ unemployment, especially among younger veterans who experience unemployment at higher rates than other veterans.
Make National Service A Gateway To Good Jobs And Careers

Young Americans who complete a service year after high school are better prepared for college and often pursue public service careers. For many young people, a year of service provides opportunities for mentorship and leadership, and a path to a career that would not have existed otherwise. Governor O’Malley wants a Year of Service to become the most sought-after, prestigious and rewarding opportunity available to young people in America, serving as a pathway to high-quality jobs and satisfying careers.