Summer volunteer vacation? 여름방학은 봉사 시즌? AUGUST 07, 2013 04:25 Summer volunteer vacation? . AUGUST 07, 2013 04:25. . A seventh grade student recently volunteered at a welfare center. He was encouraged to do something meaningful during summer vacation. The welfare center gave him a task of making shopping bags and files. Earnings would be used to help low-income and disabled people. Thirty volunteers were working hard in hot summer days. The boy worked for three days from 9 a.m. to noon. He said he made 500 shopping bags a day, though he seemed to be exaggerating. After completing nearly eight hours of work, he was asked what he learned. It was an unexpected answer. He said he was afraid of the old woman who sat next to him. When he was taking a rest for a while, the old woman gave him massive work to do. The boy called volunteer work as "labor. " Because he had to work in an uncomfortable position, his shoulders, arms and back hurt, he said. When told not to exaggerate pain, he said with a serious look, "You know what conveyer belt is. I was given work as if the belt was rotating continuously. I was swamped with work. " Maybe the boy is too young to find meaning in volunteer work. When asked whether he is willing to work more at the welfare center, he showed an ambiguous look. It`s fortunate that he didn`t resist strongly. A week earlier, a local newspaper for southern Seoul issued a feature article that grasped attention. The article contained a table introducing volunteer programs where teenagers could join during summer vacation. The application deadline, duration and place of volunteer work, and qualifications for application were introduced. For example, the "energy saving volunteering campaign" will be promoted at the Seongdong Teenager Culture House and at Geumho-dong from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on August 22. The program will select 20 secondary school students until August 19. In southern district of Daegu, a water delivering campaign for hot summer will be promoted and middle to high school students can apply. One can easily find on the Internet places where teenagers can volunteer. There are many websites that constantly update such information. Many people share volunteer information among themselves. Korea may be turning into an advanced volunteer country, with teenagers taking the initiative. Not many people agree, however. In 1996, the education authorities introduced a student volunteer activity point system to invigorate teenagers` volunteer activities. Though different among cities and provinces, many junior high schools allocate about 20 points to students` volunteer activity among total 300 points when measuring school records for high school entry. College admissions do not directly reflect volunteer scores. However, the volunteer activities written in school records are used in rolling admission. Students are rushing to join volunteer activity due to this reason. Volunteer activity is like a "test subject" for college entrance. This is why parents are aggressive about their children`s volunteer activities. They visit their children`s volunteering places and take pictures for proof. Other volunteers who are devoting with pure heart could be affected. Some people may say that teenagers still get to volunteer. But though teenagers may not be enthusiastic at first, they could gradually realize how meaningful volunteering is and this will create a virtuous cycle of students willing to volunteer regardless of score. Teenagers` volunteering is hoped to be continued even though volunteer activity is not point-based. A seventh grade student recently volunteered at a welfare center. He was encouraged to do something meaningful during summer vacation. The welfare center gave him a task of making shopping bags and files. Earnings would be used to help low-income and disabled people. Thirty volunteers were working hard in hot summer days. The boy worked for three days from 9 a.m. to noon. He said he made 500 shopping bags a day, though he seemed to be exaggerating. After completing nearly eight hours of work, he was asked what he learned. It was an unexpected answer. He said he was afraid of the old woman who sat next to him. When he was taking a rest for a while, the old woman gave him massive work to do. The boy called volunteer work as "labor." Because he had to work in an uncomfortable position, his shoulders, arms and back hurt, he said. When told not to exaggerate pain, he said with a serious look, "You know what conveyer belt is. I was given work as if the belt was rotating continuously. I was swamped with work." Maybe the boy is too young to find meaning in volunteer work. When asked whether he is willing to work more at the welfare center, he showed an ambiguous look. It`s fortunate that he didn`t resist strongly. A week earlier, a local newspaper for southern Seoul issued a feature article that grasped attention. The article contained a table introducing volunteer programs where teenagers could join during summer vacation. The application deadline, duration and place of volunteer work, and qualifications for application were introduced. For example, the "energy saving volunteering campaign" will be promoted at the Seongdong Teenager Culture House and at Geumho-dong from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on August 22. The program will select 20 secondary school students until August 19. In southern district of Daegu, a water delivering campaign for hot summer will be promoted and middle to high school students can apply. One can easily find on the Internet places where teenagers can volunteer. There are many websites that constantly update such information. Many people share volunteer information among themselves. Korea may be turning into an advanced volunteer country, with teenagers taking the initiative. Not many people agree, however. In 1996, the education authorities introduced a student volunteer activity point system to invigorate teenagers` volunteer activities. Though different among cities and provinces, many junior high schools allocate about 20 points to students` volunteer activity among total 300 points when measuring school records for high school entry. College admissions do not directly reflect volunteer scores. However, the volunteer activities written in school records are used in rolling admission. Students are rushing to join volunteer activity due to this reason. Volunteer activity is like a "test subject" for college entrance. This is why parents are aggressive about their children`s volunteer activities. They visit their children`s volunteering places and take pictures for proof. Other volunteers who are devoting with pure heart could be affected. Some people may say that teenagers still get to volunteer. But though teenagers may not be enthusiastic at first, they could gradually realize how meaningful volunteering is and this will create a virtuous cycle of students willing to volunteer regardless of score. Teenagers` volunteering is hoped to be continued even though volunteer activity is not point-based. 여름방학은 봉사 시즌? AUGUST 07, 2013 04:25 동아일보 얼마 전 중학교 1학년 아들 녀석이 복지관에서 봉사활동을 했다. 여름방학에 집에서 빈둥거리느니 봉사활동을 하면서 힘겨운 이웃을 돌아보라는 뜻이었다. 그 복지관은 쇼핑백과 파일 같은 것을 만들고 있었다. 수익금으로는 저소득층이나 장애인을 돕는단다. 약 30명의 자원봉사자가 더운 여름, 작업장에서 구슬땀을 흘리고 있다. 아들 녀석은 오전 9시 반부터 정오까지 꼬박 3일 동안 일했다. 매일 500개씩 만들었다는데 과장이 섞인 듯하다. 총 7시간 반의 봉사 시간. 일을 하며 느낀 소감을 물었다. 엉뚱한 대답이 돌아왔다. 옆자리에 있던 할머니 자원봉사자가 엄청 무서웠단다. 녀석이 잠시 손을 놓고 있으면 할머니가 일감을 왕창 몰아준다는 것이다. 퉁퉁 부은 얼굴로 작업하는 모습이 스쳐 지나갔다. 녀석은 봉사를 노동이라 표현했다. 경직된 자세로 일을 하다보니 어깨와 팔, 허리가 아프단다. 엄살떨지 말라고 했더니 진지한 표정으로 이렇게 말했다. 컨베이어 벨트 아시죠? 그 벨트가 돌아가는 것처럼 계속 일감이 밀려오는데. 아무런 정신도 없어요. 얼마나 바쁜데. 아직 봉사의 즐거움을 바라기에는 이른 나이일까. 녀석은 복지관에 더 나가겠느냐는 물음에 긍정도, 부정도 하지 않는 애매모호한 표정을 지어 보였다. 완강하게 저항하지 않는 게 그나마 다행이다. 1주일 전 우연히 한 신문이 서울 강남 주민을 대상으로 발행하는 특집판을 봤다. 마침 아들 녀석이 복지관에서 자원봉사를 하고 있을 때라 그랬을까. 지면의 절반을 차지한 대형 표가 기자의 시선을 끌었다. 여름방학에 청소년이 참여할 수 있는 전국 자원봉사 프로그램을 소개하는 표였다. 모집 기간과 봉사 기간, 봉사 장소, 지원 자격이 정리돼 있었다. 이를테면 에너지 절약을 위한 캠페인(불끄기 행사 홍보)의 경우 이달 22일 오후 58시 서울 성동청소년문화의 집과 금호동 일대에서 진행된다. 홍보에 참여할 중고교생 20명을 19일까지 모집한다. 대구 남구에서는 30일까지 폭염 대책 물 나눠주기 자원봉사가 진행된다. 초중고교생을 수시로 모집한다. 사실 인터넷을 조금만 뒤져도 청소년이 자원봉사할 수 있는 곳은 쉽게 찾을 수 있다. 이런 정보만 모아서 수시로 업데이트하는 사이트도 여럿 있다. 자원봉사 정보를 서로 공유하는 누리꾼도 많다. 어느 새 대한민국이 자원봉사 선진국이 된 것 같아 뿌듯해지는가. 더욱이 미래의 주역인 10대 청소년들이 자원봉사를 주도적으로 이끌고 있지 않은가. 하지만 이런 해석에 동의하는 이는 많지 않은 것 같다. 1996년 교육당국은 청소년들의 자원봉사를 활성화하기 위해 학생자원봉사활동 점수제도를 도입했다. 시도마다 약간씩 다르지만 중학생의 고교 입시용 성적을 산출할 때 총점 300점 가운데 20점 안팎을 봉사 점수로 배정한다. 대학 입시에 봉사 점수를 직접 반영하지는 않는다. 하지만 수시모집 등에서 학교생활기록부에 기재된 봉사 내용이 전형 자료로 쓰인다. 학생들이 자원봉사 활동에 목을 매는 이유가 여기에 있다. 자원봉사가 입시를 위한 시험과목인 셈이다. 이러니 때론 학부모가 더 극성이다. 아이들의 자원봉사 현장에 나타나 사진을 연신 찍어댄다. 봉사를 했다는 인증 사진을 남기기 위해서다. 순수한 마음으로 봉사 활동에 여념이 없는 다른 자원봉사자들의 눈살을 찌푸리게 한다. 물론 이렇게 해서라도 청소년이 봉사를 하는 게 어디냐고 반문할 수도 있다. 처음엔 심드렁했지만 차츰 봉사의 진정한 의미를 깨달을 수도 있다. 그렇게 되면 정신없이 바쁜 학기 중에도 점수와 상관없이 기꺼이 자원봉사를 할 것이다. 그렇게 되기를 바란다. 봉사가 포인트 상품도, 시즌 상품도 아니잖은가.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 05:34:43 +0000
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