Recently, the volunteer movement has become one of the main directions in the activities of youth associations and student self-government, public organizations. The development of student volunteer movement in universities can become an effective way of organizing the educational process in the student environment. In the process of providing all possible assistance to people in need, he manifests itself as a person, as a person, capable of influencing the world around him.
Observing people who are unable to help themselves without the help of others, they themselves begin to think about the value of life. Students begin to take care of other people’s work, and also appreciate their own work. In addition, seeing the fruits of their activities, young people realize that spiritual values are sometimes more significant than material values and receive real moral satisfaction from their own work.
This is the main educational effect of students’ volunteer activities. The main condition for such activities is the support of the university administration, which can provide optimal conditions for the development of this structure. The university, for its part, must do everything necessary to become an honorable volunteer. For this, an appropriate reward system must be organized.
The cause of student volunteering
The tasks of volunteering include:
- support of the state in solving its social problems;
- helping people in mastering the ability to provide first aid, environmental protection, the basics of life safety, stimulating high-class orientation, social activities with various target groups and categories of the population;
- the acquisition by citizens of the abilities of self-realization and self-organization in order to solve social problems;
- training of a personnel reserve of volunteers (volunteers);
- the formation of elements of involving people in various social activities aimed at improving the quality of life of the population;
- Formation and assistance of youth initiatives aimed at organizing youth volunteer work.
Features of student volunteering:
- memories and impressions – emotional recharge for the whole year ahead;
- acquaintances that can develop into a long friendship;
- mastering new types of activity, including creative;
- introduction to local culture without tourist guides;
- participation in projects significant for society.
Based on the tasks of student volunteering, its functions can be distinguished:
- Educational function – participation in volunteer projects requires responsibility from the student, the manifestation of such qualities as camaraderie, kindness, honesty, decency, nobility, selflessness and others;
- Educational function – the student does not receive financial resources for his work, but his remuneration is in the experience that he gains during the period of volunteering. Depending on the social projects that the volunteer sets up for himself independently, he receives various and multifaceted practice, including the skills and abilities necessary to perform a particular job;
- Function of socialization – students face various social problems, adopting social patterns of behavior of older colleagues, etc., go through the school of life through volunteerism.
Student volunteer activity is the way to paid work, here there is always an opportunity for a student to recommend and prove himself from the best side, develop competencies in various fields of activity, test his skills, decide on the choice of life and his future professional career.
Volunteer students are involved in volunteer work for various reasons:
- to gain experience of interacting with different people;
- to identify the causes of problem and difficult situations – in some cases due to the fault of the person himself, in others – due to the confluence of negative accidents and factors;
- want to answer people for good with good;
- for acquaintance and study of the characteristics of various life situations;
- to establish business ties and personal contacts;
- for the development of special skills and abilities.
Charitable activities and volunteer work are not spontaneous or sporadic, they are focused on achieving specific goals and results that are determined by the nature of this social phenomenon. Volunteering contributes to the development of the sensual, emotional sphere of a person, forms and changes his value world, promotes the implementation of social and creative activity, personal growth and activates cognitive activity. Participation in the volunteer movement develops value orientations, allows you to solve the urgent problem of organizing leisure time, increases the communicative potential, teaches you how to correctly allocate your free time, reduces ill will, intolerance and aggressiveness.