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60h of caritative work vs. University fees.

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Politics & Debate
In Austria a 'law' (I guess) is passed that every student may work 60 hours for caritative purposes per semester instead of paying the fees for uni that is due each semester.

What do you think of that? 60 hours, that's about 5 long ambulance shifts or 2 weeks of mild work in - e.g. - a kindergarden for handicapped children.

I am not sure yet if you are able to choose which kind of volunteering work you have to do (if you decided to do it), but it saves you ~380€ each semester, and you've done something for community.

Any opinions on that? I am thinking about doing it.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A very good idea, but that won't happen over here because each year's university fees in the Uk is about 6000 euros.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well you don't necessarily pay fees here, if your parents earn less than a certain amount. Besides, most students get jobs anyway, and so if they want to use that money to pay their fees, then they can, but most spend in on socialising or living costs. Most students wouldn't do this instead of a job, I don't reckon. A far better idea would be to cut out this bullshit of paying people to go to college, and give the money to people who actually have to worry about where their next meal is coming from (no offence to any college students by the way, but very few college students that I know actually need this money, and if they need a cash incentive to go to college, then they shouldn't be there in the first place imo).
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah, maybe it's a bit hard to compare because the mechanics of studying vary from place to place. As a technical chemistry student I might have a lot of holidays, but it's almost impossible for me to work in non-holiday times, because I sit most of the time in uni and have to work out stuff/learn/study on weekends for exams or other excercises/projects.

    In the meantime my parents pay the fees for me (363€/semester), but if I'd do the work, and 60 hours each semester is just not that much, especially if you could schedule the working days yourself (in holidays) [but I'm not sure of that]. My parents would give me the 363€ then of course and that's a nice little extra-cash.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    6.05 and hour? (Don't have a euro button on my keyboard for some reason) That's about what? £4 and hour? Nah, you'd get more than that for a part time job. If it was something to do with your course, then it might be worth it, but generally, I'd say you'd be better off just getting a normal job. Some courses like nursings are pretty much a full time job, in addition to your course.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Wow, if they had that law over here I'd have gone through my six years of University for free! :eek: (plus probably a postgraduate degree paid for in advance...)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would probably do it. It saves you money, it's helping others, it's something a bit different to do in part of your free time, and it's something extra for your CV. It does depend how big a factor the money is, because like I'm With Stupid said, you'd be better off getting a holiday job for that (although can you do that easily in Austria?). Personally I think the money plus the other bonuses make it worthwhile. If you didn't get to choose your type of voluntary work it might well influence my decision though.
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