THE EFFECT OF GROUP EVENTS PROMOTING VOLUNTEERING ON THE AWARENESS AND MOTIVATION OF SCHOOL AND HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS

Abstract

The publication deals with the theoretical and empirical researches of school and higher education students’ involvement in volunteering. The sociological survey analyzes results of students’ volunteering experiences among the participants of information events in the autumn-winter of 2021-2022 (before the Russian military aggression in Ukraine). The results of this sociological survey have shown specific features of school and higher education students’ attitude to volunteering. Attitudes to volunteering among school and higher education students, their awareness, the importance of such activities for them, knowledge about volunteering areas and volunteering benefits have been analyzed. The authors of the article analyze the results of the sociological survey of students who participated in the volunteering school (entrance and exit survey). Conclusions which were based on this survey help to define the impact of master-classes at the volunteering school on students' perceptions of volunteering, the importance of volunteering for students. The authors paid special attention to the study of the volunteering school’s impact on young people (school and higher education students) in the context of their informing and involvement in volunteering practices. Based on the results of the comparative analysis of volunteering practices among school and higher education students, the specifics of the ideas of the two groups of young people about volunteering have been determined. The article also analyzes forms of informational and explanatory work which can be used for informing and involving young people in volunteering, the effectiveness of webinars, trainings, group discussions, volunteering schools, which are held in "Caritas Zaporizhzhia Charitable Fund" to inform and motivate school and higher education students to volunteering. On the basis of this, the authors have considered and singled out the most effective forms of group informing social work and its stages with these age groups for their education before volunteering. The fact that the information work is more effectve for the schoolchildren than for higher education students is determined. It is important for the students that volunteering meets their interests, provides an opportunity to develop their skills and contacts that are important in their future professional activities. The authors determine the perspective of further research taking into account the development of youth volunteering in the conditions of martial law in Ukraine associated with military aggression.