From the leaked network memo:

President Obama has called for a new era of responsibility. … We can turn up the volume for service and volunteerism, engage more people and make it part of who we are and what we do to bring the country together. …

Campaign Elements: …
“To ‘organically’ create and produce as many shows as possible about service and volunteerism[.] …

Ideally storylines will touch on one or more of the key issues that have outlined as the country’s top priorities for services: (more…)

National service and volunteerism is a top priority of both the President and the First Lady. A broad effort has been launched to promote this priority. We’ve seen this in the May 12th White House briefing, the August 10th and 27th art community conference calls, and now in a new effort by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, entitled iParticipate, that is encouraging broadcast media to infuse national service stories into their show plots. The First Lady has even created a video expressing the importance of national service.

All of these efforts are driving would-be volunteers to Serve.gov. The question is, for what purpose?

Buffy Wicks

Encouraging volunteerism is a noble effort undertaken by every US President. However, this Administration’s national service outreach has led on multiple occasions to outright policy advocacy. I’ve shown this throughout my writing on the subject, with a primary focus on the National Endowment for the Arts. However, the Corporation for National and Community Service is playing an even bigger role in this White House effort, and I don’t think general volunteerism is the only goal in mind.  (more…)