The Public Service Academy - A Breeding Ground for the Change Agents of Generation Y
July 12, 2006
If you do much reading about change agents in the government, it would be easy to conclude that those deemed most pivotal are the seasoned and experienced veterans of government - typically members of Generation X and the Baby Boomers. After a closer look, however, I have found that such thinking excludes an entire generation of up-and-coming change agents and innovators, and a group that soon will be responsible for significant leadership roles in the government as well: Generation Y.
The young professionals, college students, and twenty-somethings that make up Generation Y have a lot to offer. Their grasp of recent technology, interest in new schools of thought, and involvement with new forms of social connection make them a group worthy of attention and empowerment. One of the problems that Generation Y faces, however, is detailed in a recent article from GovernmentExec.com. As it points out, many students and young grads who are interested in pursuing a role in government are unsure where to start or how they can make a difference.
Another article also caught my interest, and offers a solution to that very problem. It introduces two change agents, Chris Myers Asch and Shawn Raymond, who are trying to bridge the gap between education and the governmental sphere by building an undergraduate academy for civil servants. This government-funded college would admit 5,000 students nominated by Congress, and would require that students work with military, government and non-profit agencies. Post -graduation, students have the opportunity to take on a public service job ranging from "teaching, to becoming a park ranger, police officer or border agent". Through the Public Service Academy, Asch and Raymond could enable incredible things for the future of government. For one, it would provide the aspiring change agents of Generation Y with a place to gain early experience with a bureaucracy, instead of letting its limitations stifle their innovative mentality. Assuming the school continues to gain Congressional support, it stands to generate a tremendous amount of interest in government, and demonstrate how civil service directly connects to other areas such as education or business. For many reasons, this institution fills a void long left empty, reaching out to the aspiring change agents of Generation Y to apply themselves within the governmental sphere.
"Public institutions are to be laughed at or mocked or gutted. We need to change that..." Asch said. "We want to make this a unifying issue, the post-9/11 generation's institutional response... Get young people to commit themselves to the larger struggles of this nation."
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