Serving on a local authority board gives people a "better understanding" of Manx politics, a member of the House of Keys has said.
It comes as elections across the island's 21 local authorities, which run every four years, are set to be held on 24 April.
Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper, who was a Ramsey commissioner between 2012 and 2016, said local politics provided a "grounding" in dealing with public sector bodies.
He said it helped people understand more about how public services were delivered, the way local and national government works, and some of the pitfalls of being a politician.
The voluntary positions were often taken on alongside a full-time job, but being a local representative could be "difficult" as there were "a lot of competing demands", Hooper said.
While there were some "real limitations on what you can and can't do" as a lot of responsibilities lie with national government, it was "always possible to get things done to start driving the change", he said.
"It is quite rewarding to be in that position to be able to help, to be able to make decisions to give back, but you have to be willing to give time and energy to it," Hooper added.
Housing, refuse collection, street-lighting, libraries, car parking and preservation of war memorials are among the responsibilities of local authorities.
While not all MHKs would need to be a commissioner before being elected, Hooper said it had helped him "a lot".
Those who intend to stand in the forthcoming election in April must secure a proposer, a seconder and the support of eight other electors in the area to be nominated as a candidate.
They also need to be at least 18 years old, be either a British Citizen or have the right to remain on the Isle of Man, and have been ordinarily resident on the island for five years or more, and be on the register of electors.
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