Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE

Purpose:

• To introduce the principle of “the common good.”

Activity:

1. This activity should be used in conjunction with “Who You Gonna Call — Trusteeship.” Begin by reiterating that the group has been talking about trusteeship or serving as community trustees. Now, the group will look at the definition of trusteeship.
   
   
2. Print the following definition on newsprint: Trusteeship is individual or group behavior which, on behalf of the general public, considers the needs of the entire community and seeks to serve the common good.
   
   
3. If we look at the definition of trusteeship, there are two new words: common good. Underline, circle or box in the words “common good” in the definition on newsprint.
   
   
4. Ask the group for ideas on what is meant by the “common good.” Acknowledge that there is often confusion on what is meant by the common good. To come to an understanding of the common good, these questions are helpful. What is ...
   - good for me as an individual?
   - good for you as an individual?
   - good for us as a community?
   
   
5. Begin to explore the meaning of “the common good” by look¬ing at the communities in which they live. Draw a circle in the middle of the newsprint and write “you” in the middle. This represents you and your actions. Next, ask the group who might be considered or influenced after “You.” Write that answer in the next ring of a circle. Who might be considered next? Write that answer in the next ring of the circle.

   Option: Use the visual above to discuss how trustees widen their focus. Just as trust is the basis of satisfying interpersonal relationships, trusteeship is the basis upon which we as trustees operate within our community.
   
   

6. Using the example of the environment, state, “If I am a litter¬bug, how would that affect each group listed on the circle?” Ask for examples from the youth and discuss how their actions would affect each group listed on the circle.

Litterbug

How might being a litterbug affect the common good?

You: Messy room — can’t find your class assignment.

Family: Your father’s supervisor stops by to see him.
You’ve left a mess in the family room.

Friends: Don’t like to have you with them because you leave a mess in their car or home when you are visiting.

School: You are fined for “trashing” the hallway at
school by a teacher. Are you serving the “common good” in any of these examples?

Recycler

Ask participants how changing the litterbug habit into a recy cling habit would affect each group.

You: You decide to recycle material that you use. This act makes you feel good about yourself and is a positive act toward saving the environment.

Family: You involve everyone in a recycle program for the home/neighborhood — a positive experience for the family and is a positive act toward saving the environment.

Friends: Encouraged friends to begin a recycling pro¬gram at home. Helps to save the environment and you have moved from individual trusteeship to community trusteeship as you try to influence others.

School: As a class officer, you are able to get the entire class involved in recycling. Now you have taken your individual trusteeship and helped your organization to become an organizational trustee. You are serving the “common good.”

Actions are like a rock thrown into a lake. The ripples put out by that rock do make differences in other people’s lives. The common good takes into account how individual actions might affect the lives of others around him or her.

 

Supplemental Activity:

Close this section with a brief lecturette. The following is a narrative that you may adapt:

“Communities need trustees — someone they can trust — just as individuals need someone to trust. It’s not up to the government or to someone else to take care of our communities. It’s up to each and everyone of us. We need to consider the common good. We all are trustees for our community.

“This is what makes our democratic society work. Our communities need each of us with our birthright gifts and talents to consider the common good and make our communities, our state, our country, our world the best they can be.”