Say I'm a skilled professional, doing software. My 12 days work is going to cost me in lost earnings a LOT more than 12 days for someone in a minimum wage job. Is that fair? why am I being (effectively) taxed more because I've done well? after all, compulsory work is simply non-monetry taxation.

Blank Xaver, Cambridge,

Make voluntary work compulsory? This is the semantic equivalent of rape by choice..

Steven Gomprecht, Lodi, NY, USA

Presumably those of us with criminal would be spared such busybodying nonsense.

jasper, chelmsford,

There is another name for forcing people to work for others: SLAVERY.

Is this what Reid is calling for?

Mark, Cambridge,

I think I'll decide how to spend my free time thank you. I don't need the State deciding for me!

Jonathon Staples, Cardiff, United Kingdom

Patronising beyond parody.
LEAVE ME ALONE!

Stuart, Chichester, England

I can't help but feel this proposal misses the point. The ethos of volunteering comes from the voluntary sacrifice of time, effort or money.
Conscription would just be a bureaucratic imposition.

David Richards, Witham, UK

Complusory volunteerism the ultimate human rights breach!
People are innately free to make their own decision and choices.
People are not slaves of the State, any other institution, religion, elitist legal fraturnity or group of do gooders, busybodies and wowsers.

James, Boston, USA

Being genuinely too ill to work I nonetheless spent many years battling with ill health carrying out unpaid voluntary work in my community for mental health then the elderly. I could write a book on how badly volunteers are treated. I agree it is slave labour as people are exploited.Never EVER again

A Richards, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales

What a stupid article, not least if a thing is compulsory it's not voluntary.

Why should those of us work 5 days a week on a long commute, who then take children to sport on Saturdays, do a bit of rest and gardening on Sundays be viewed as evil people?

How can employers give 12 days a year away?

David, Essex, UK

What a totally selfish society we live in! While our economic system continues to be totally based upon debt and quid pro quo, this will never work, which is a shame. People should want to do personal good, without coercion. Charity it seems to me is a way of outsourcing ones own conscience.

James Smith, Cardiff, UK

Volunteering by definition must be freely given... and anyone with the faintest clue about it knows this is so. "Months of community service" for those trying to avoid it? Er, what exactly do you think 'compulsory volunteering' amounts to, then?

Lou, West Mids,

Compulsory volunteering is not volunteering. Volunteering is something done VOLUNTARILY, not under threat of having to do something worse.

Helen, Sheffield,

It's extremely easy - massively cut taxes! Suddenly we don't have to work all the hours of the day. With this new free time we could do voluntary work. Bascially we currently pay the government to do it for us in an extremely inefficent manner.
Time could be given to things we value.

Richard, london, England

Enforced work is not a gift. It's slavery.

kath bell, Nottingham, England

This would not be a 'win-win' situation, as you describe it. Two problems:(1) how on earth would this system be enforced? Perhaps failure to carry out one's duties could be punished by ordering (i.e. make compulsory) community service?;(2)A forced good dead is no longer a good deed, I would argue...

Jack, New York City, US

Think of all those forms to fill in -the CRB checks if you wanted to work with children or vulnerable adults - No portability - having to be renewed every so often at a cost to who - oh yes - taxpayers! Enforcing it on an employer - in a recession. I'll volunteer to write nonsense like this article

Rhys, Aberystwyth,

I give a minimum of 20 hours unpaid voluntary work a month and have done for 3 years - sometimes two or three times that. Thats in addition to a full time job and a part time job. Still its hard work and I make time because just a little from me or anyone can make a huge difference to those without.

jonathan, High Wycombe, UK

Most of us could do with volunteering more. As far as charity goes generally, what I would like to cease is rich showbiz types imploring ordinary people to give, give and give again. A lot of these philanthropists attend a charity do to plug a product and expect free food, drink and 'expenses'.

Stephen , Glasgow,

I give enough to the community by compulsion. It is called taxation.

Daniel, Belfast,

Dave H, Alexandria, Va, USA: 'Only an educated person could be so foolish as to take this nonsense seriously.'

Unfortunately, she means it - as anyone who has read her sad effusions in her old Glasgow Herald column knows only too well.

Brian D Finch, Glasgow,

Perhaps people would do more voluntary work if it wasn't now so tied-up with red tape . You need criminal record checks to breath these days let alone work with children , old people etc.

Mark, East Yorkshire,

You cannot be serious!

I am working 70-80 hours a week just to keep my business going during this recession.

Clearly newspaper columnists have too much time on their hands.

Mike S, London,

Why not go a step further in the theatre of the absurd and make the compulsory voluntary also!
Turn up for work only if you feel like it. Feed your kids only if they look cute. Vote only if you feel compelled to. Pay your taxes if you're stupid enough to. Oops! Sorry! We already did all that.

Paul Freeman, London, England

"Compulsory volunteering is win-win" - no, it's slavery, as has already been pointed out. And what about the army of civil servants that would need to be recruited to monitor this? I don't think we can afford any more, can we?

I wonder how much volunteering the author does?

JuliaM, Essex, UK

A truly awful idea; it is essentially forced labour. Why should the state get to decide what is a worthwhile activity and then get to force people to undertake it for free with the threat of criminal punishment if disobeyed. How very Soviet.

Chris FP, London,

Compulsory volunteerism - kind of like collectivism, or labor brigades innit?? Actually I take this whole article as a tongue-in-cheek attempt at humor. Only an educated person could be so foolish as to take this nonsense seriously.

Dave H, Alexandria, Va, USA

What a truly monstrous notion. This would cause a mutitude of the truly compassionate to leave the country and only the sentomental would stay.

James , Canberra, Australia.

You mean like slavery? So far as i know forced labour is contrary to the Geneva convention.

keith b, wigan, uk

Compulsory volunteerism is not volunteerism it is subjugation or even slavery.

Mike, Santa Fe, USA

I spend several hours a week on volunteer work for Cats Protection, fundraise twice a year for the Dogs Trust, make blankets & duvets for the dogs and cats & buy food when I can afford it, help out my local Lib Dems, & am the office Corporate Social Responsibility Rep at work. I HAVE no spare time!

elrohana, Leeds, UK