Motivation of parental participation in activities of children’s public organizations: the scout troop case

When studying voluntary assistance practices, it is necessary to consider both the motivation of different categories of volunteers and the characteristics of organizations that are beneficiaries of this assistance. The research presented in this article focuses on the participation of parents in the activities of a scout organization. Various formal and informal children’s organizations and institutions rely on the resources coming from parents. The hypothesis of the present study is that the orientation toward help to be provided to the scout troop by parents is formed by integration closure, which is defined as a system of significant relationships within the community. The empirical base of the research case of the scout troop «Forest Cats» from Izhevsk is based on data from group interviews and surveys (n = 91). The type of activities of the scout troop (adventures, hiking, competitions) promotes the involvement of parents and other family members. The involvement of parents in helping during events leads to the emergence of a sustainable community in which parents know each other and children well. With the support of the community members, potential volunteers move on to regular classes with scout groups. According to the survey materials, parents demonstrate a typical motivation regarding volunteer work perceiving it as a means of involvement in the common cause with their child and as a way to satisfy their desire to be engaged in activities that unite the family. The difficulties reported by respondents are related to their resource constraints: lack of free time and lack of confidence in their skills. At the same time, parents with experience in volunteering reported on the strong orientation toward mutual support within the parent community.