National service programs such as the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps offer big rewards at a bargain price, says Eric Mlyn. Mlyn is assistant vice provost for civic engagement at Duke University and director of the DukeEngage program.
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Transcript:
From Duke University, this is “Glad You Asked,” where we consider the question “What should we be talking about this election season?”
“I’m Eric Mlyn and I’m the assistant vice provost for civic engagement at Duke and also the director of the DukeEngage program and teach in the Sanford School of Public Policy.
“So I think one of the issues that has gotten very little attention is the issue of national service.
“In general the U.S. government has been at the forefront of creating service programs.
The one most people know about is the Peace Corps, which has funded over 200,000 Americans to serve abroad in civic capacities.
“These are relatively small programs if you look at the scheme of the federal budget, but they are deeply impactful both for the people who participate in them and for the communities that are served.
“Estimates show that for every dollar the United States spends on national service, three dollars accrues to the economy. And the other thing is that we know from data that people who participate in national service are likely to feel more a part of their democracy, they’re more likely to have a conception of themselves as citizens.
“It has traditionally been -- though not always -- an issue that has gathered bipartisan support.
And given that we have so few issues today in this polarized political environment that garner bipartisan support, I think that national service not only can be valuable in and of itself but as a forum for Democrats and Republicans, independents to get together and talk about things that they generally agree upon.
“National service is both something that is a bargain for the United States and something that has in the past and could in the future get a lot of bipartisan support and for that reason I would urge the candidates to talk about this more.”
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