Personal values in the perceptions of volunteer activities among university students

Abstract

Introduction. Student youth is the most active part of society. The development of the student personality is necessary to ensure a stable future society. The study is devoted to revealing the structure of ideas about volunteering among university students.Due to the difficult political and economic situation in the country and in the world as a whole, a multi-level volunteer movement is actively developing: from those supported by administrative struc­tures to individual types of activities shown by individual citizens on their own initiative. The volunteer movement solves both local problems and goes to the national level, through the translation of the value base of its activity.Aim. The present research aims to study the structure of ideas about volunteering in university students and to identify the axiological content in these ideas. With this aim, complexes of semantic markers were identified, indicating groups of values according to the classification of S. Schwartz. This allows using semantic markers for axiological analysis of information.Methodology and research methods. As a method, an associative experiment modified for the re­search tasks, was used. 159 university students were interviewed in Ekaterinburg, Kurgan, and Tyumen. 1431 associations related to volunteering were analysed.Results. The weight of a value and its position in the hierarchy was determined by the number of associations that correlate with this value semantically. In the first place, there is the value of security, in terms of the security of another person. In the second place, there is the value of kindness, and, in the third place – the value of universalism. The value of universalism emphasises the voluntariness and disinterestedness of volunteering. This is followed by the value of independence, which expresses the as­pect of activity and initiative. The next is the value of tradition. The values of stimulation, achievement, hedonism and conformity are the least expressed in students’ perceptions. The values of security, uni­versalism and kindness are fully reflected in the views of students. The values of independence and tra­dition are represented by a certain facet, aspect. Other values are represented weakly and diffusely. Such a differentiation of values is connected with the content of volunteering, as well as with the students’ ideas about it. The study shows the fundamental isomorphism of the content of activity, ideas about this activity and the relevance of the hierarchy of personal values.Scientific novelty. The ideas about volunteering are considered through the prism of personal values. A hierarchically organised profile of values associated with volunteering is revealed.Practical significance. Many organisations are in need of volunteer help but are having difficulties recruiting and retaining volunteers. The value of the current research is to understand what can attract and retain volunteers.