The State of Voluntary Work by Jordanian Youths in Jordanian Families: A Field Study on Volunteers in Voluntary Work Centers

Abstract

The aim of the study was to identify the familial factors that reinforce volunteering culture and support the participation of Jordanian youth in voluntary work. It also aimed to discover the obstacles posed by families affecting youth’s participation in voluntary work that can be attributed to the following variables: gender, age, place of residence, occupation, income level, the educational level of the father, and the educational level of the mother. This study followed a qualitative approach. A descriptive approach was utilized to collect the data. Three hundred and five participants were recruited using the snowball technique. The overall results showed that the role of families in enhancing volunteering culture is major and positive. They revealed that families believe that volunteering helps develop abilities and skills in youths and that families are proud when children participate in voluntary work. Families also believe that volunteering increases their children’s sense of responsibility. As for the obstacles posed by families on voluntary work, the results show that families prefer their children to engage in work that earns money. They also worry that volunteering may affect the youths’ education. Moreover, bad financial circumstances limit families’ encouragement of their children’s participation in voluntary work. Another hindering factor is the absence of former volunteers in the family.