Sounds like the Peace Corps here in the USA.

I can’t see ready agreement on projects, goals or methods, but as a variation on the old peace corps idea it might attract some people if it is voluntary and word of mouth is positive.

"I have an Idea, everyone in the world should follow my idea." The ego on this guy is unbelievable.

I'm interpreting the program suggested in the OP as a proposal, not as a duty. I don't know how the situation on this subject is in the USA, but there are many countries worldwide that have been offering international exchange programs for pupils and students etc. since the end of world war II. The participation is voluntary, of course.

Yup, and there is Americorps as well (a domestic version of the Peace Corps). Mormons very often do something similar as young adults. And then there are all sorts of private programs, often involving agriculture, although these tend to be religious. And then in other countries there is mandatory or pervasive conscription into military service.

I think these are great ideas. A sort of "ascetical" training was a core part of education for most of history and was only pushed out as education shifted to being seen as largely "preparation to enter the labor supply." Summer camps can sometimes offer this sort of experience (even oriented towards volunteer work as well). Most kids don't get it at all. The training of the body and appetites and fostering of esprit de corps and a sense of self-sufficiency through shared hardship and teamwork is massively neglected IMHO. Sports offers one potential way for children to get this experience, but sports often become corrosive and focused on precisely the wrong things (still a net positive to be sure).

Yet the practicality of doing this for all is another thing. If it is involuntary, or even just "expected," you get unmotivated, difficult participants. Participants tend to lack the skills the work requires, and since they won't commit to several years, they often just start to become effective workers when they are ready to leave. It would also be hideously expensive for the US to run something on a scale of Israeli or Korean conscription (even if it was largely for non-military projects). Travel abroad just jacks the expense way up. I would say it would be something worth paying for, but getting voters to agree is another thing.

I think military training is a great example because, in well-functioning militaries, it very much achieves a high esprit de corps, loyalty, and the ability to focus on the needs of a mission/whole over the individual.

Good idea but not new and it is entirely do-able.

I was in VISTA for 2 years, back in the late 60s. It's now part of Americorps. It was a very good experience. Participants probably get more than they give, depending on where they serve and what their skills are. Young people usually don't have a huge stock of technical knowledge to share, but they do have enthusiasm, energy, and open minds. However, older even 'old' people can participate and they bring a different set of skills and capacities than young people.

Thanks for your reply! I think it's great if not only American families but also every young man in university could benefit from this. It could really help them build a strong foundation for their future. How do you think we can reach more people with this idea?

The Peace Corps has shown how voluntary service can bring people together, even with different goals or methods. It's a great model for fostering cultural exchange and community support, and with positive word of mouth, a variation like this could definitely gain traction.

How do you think we can reach more people with this idea? — Alonsoaceves

Many people are willing to donate their time and energy to civic projects. Research on volunteering finds that "over 28% of Americans formally volunteering through organizations and over 54% informally helping their neighbors. The kind of volunteering found in this research is not the same as volunteering to serve full time in some form of civic service for one or two years.

It might be the case that Peace Corps, VISTA (Volunteer In Service to America), or Americorps requires an "historical moment" where young people want to delay college or career in order to work on meeting neglected civic needs. The material benefits of participating in these programs are not very great, but the personal rewards can be quite high. I don't know how to create the desired "historical moment".

Another approach used in some countries is to have 1 or 2 years of mandatory national service, either in military or civilian service. I'm not enthusiastic about mandatory military service, but certainly civilian service would be helpful for many countries, including the United States. However, as @Count Timothy von Icarus points out, "voluntary" would be better than "mandatory" in terms of commitment.

The volunteers are the primary beneficiaries of these programs, because they arrive; they do their thing; they gain experience; they leave. There might well be zero follow-up. The recipients of volunteer services benefit, but it often takes long term input to make significant changes.

The idea of an international community service program that is mandatory for young people upon turning 18 seems fascinating and profoundly transformative. — Alonsoaceves

Forced labor is forced labor. We wouldn't allow the government to round up all the 18 year olds and build our roads, so I'm not sure why we would allow them to send them to other countries to do the same.

The volunteers are the primary beneficiaries of these programs, because they arrive; they do their thing; they gain experience; they leave. There might well be zero follow-up. The recipients of volunteer services benefit, but it often takes long term input to make significant changes. — BC

I think volunteers do benefit, but not just for the experience, but because helping others actually has all sorts of postive effects.

I've done a good amount of volunteering, particularly when I was bored and had little else going on, and I was never convinced that the food I prepared, the trees I planted, the medical supplies I sorted (or whatever I was doing) was actually to save money for the organization. It seemed like the goal was to create a sense of community and offer people opportunties to get out and be part of that community. It's also great PR to get people involved because the real support for the organizations comes in the form of donations and political support, which volunteers often also provide.

This is just to say that the benefit was by design for the provider and the receiver. If the goal was just to deliver as much food as possible for as cheaply as possible, it's likely one van with a full time worker could do it without having to organize dozens of volunteers to sign in, get trained, and each drive around a few hours a week. I was though always thankful to find something to do though, which means the program was designed for me as well.

Whether and to what extent volunteers save money for an organization is questionable. It partly depends on the effectiveness of the volunteer manager. There are, as you indicated, other reasons to use volunteers. like building a base of support and good public relations. Some grants require the grantee to raise a share of the grant and volunteer time can be given a cash value and be counted toward the amount required.

You are quite right that volunteering contributes to community. That's not a small benefit.

Effective organizations, though, depend on paid staff to operate, which is as it should be. That doesn't take away from the usefulness of volunteers.

Absolutely! Building a sense of community is vital for fostering engagement and driving collective efforts. When individuals feel connected to something bigger than themselves, they're more motivated to dedicate their time and resources to its success.

Volunteering often inspires dedication and personal interest, but making participation mandatory can offer important benefits. It ensures that everyone is involved consistently, which is especially helpful for big tasks that need a dependable and steady team to succeed.