The civil service turns 50, 1.2 million volunteers

2022-12-08T16:52:19.206Z

Pnrr effect, the next call for tenders for 72,000 young people. It's a record (ANSA)

Serving the State with the weapons of solidarity: the civil service is half a century old and with this spirit boys and girls place themselves at the disposal of the community.

Since 1972, 1.2 million have dedicated at least one year to the promotion of active citizenship in a service powered by public funds which in 50 years has changed its name, form and rules but which still has a strong appeal among young people, so much so that every year between 100 and 120 thousand ask to participate in the tender.

Born, with the law 772 of 15 December 1972, the "Marcora law", the civil service is presented as a substitute for military service, at the time compulsory for boys: it is the conscientious objection to enlistment for reasons of peace, for a new way to serve the state.

"The desire to be useful to the state but without accepting arms, therefore a pacifist choice, gave the impetus to conscientious objection and therefore to the birth of the civil service", says Enrico Maria Borrelli, president of the Civil Service Forum, some thirty sector bodies.

He himself is one of the approximately 500,000 objectors who from 1972 to 2004 (the last year of compulsory military service) opted for community service rather than in the barracks.

For the objectors, the commitment with the State was 24 months (later reduced),

twice as much as that of conscripts: "it was a penalty, the service was not looked upon willingly, it was a provocation".

The aspiring objector was also subjected to the judgment of a commission, made up of soldiers, priests and psychologists, to ascertain the real motivation.

The turning point came in 1998, with the reform of conscientious objection which became a subjective right: "a concession from the State is transformed into an inalienable right. It is the beginning of a cultural change", observes Borrelli.

Another turning point, in March 2001: Law 64 establishes the civil service on a voluntary basis, also open to women, and in 2017, it becomes 'universal' (Scu), with the aspiration of making it available to all young people.

In the meantime, compulsory military service is abolished and military careers are also open to women (1999).

"The civil service - continues Borrelli with ANSA - is important for a young person because he feels useful, carries out services in projects ranging from the environment to sustainable tourism and at the same time is contractualized by the State. It is a true school of citizenship ".

And here, "the values of the Constitution are known, cultivated and practiced".

There is a common thread linking yesterday's objectors and today's volunteers: "it is the

Between ups and downs, the civil service had to deal with resources and the places available fluctuated (zero in 2012) but for the next call, due out in the middle of the month, their number will be the highest ever: 71,741 .

A record.

An effect of the additional resources of the Pnrr.

"The service can benefit from the Pnrr - Laura Massoli, director of the office for the Scu of the Department for Youth Policies and Universal Civil Service, specifies with ANSA - It is 650 million for the 2021-23 cycles. This allows the access of a greater number of young people even if the requests are still greater than the availability. These are important numbers - he underlines - which allow us to strive for the universality of the civil service just as the law requires".

The fiftieth anniversary is an important date for us.

Over time, since its inception there has been an evolution of the civil service, before it was only a compulsory alternative to military service.

But if the context today is different, the date brings us back to the values of the civil service itself, which are always the pursuit of peace, education for peace, unarmed and 'non-violent' defence". And thinking precisely of the new social contexts and the new challenges faced by young people, the Department has launched experiments. Starting with the digital civil service: "9,700 'digital facilitator' kids will be trained who will support digital inclusion activities and who are expected to train one million citizens .