Social Activity of Student Youth on the Example of the Yaroslavl Region: Research Results

The Russian Federation pays great attention to the development of youth policy. The regulatory framework is being strengthened, and higher education institutions have introduced the position of vice-rector for youth policy and educational work, who organizes the processes of involving students in various forms of social activity. The authors of the article consider various projects and events in which modern students can take part. The article presents the results of a sociological study aimed at identifying the structure of social activity, the specifics of practices in which students of higher educational institutions can participate, and the motivation of students. The factor of social activity is awareness of projects; the result is the role that the student chooses (participant or organizer), implementing social practices of participation. The empirical basis was the results of a sociological study conducted using an online survey (multi-stage, quota-based sample, n = 915). The respondents aged 17 to 23 were students of social, humanitarian, technical, natural science, and creative fields of bachelor’s and specialist’s degrees from 11 higher educational institutions of the Yaroslavl region. As part of the online survey, respondents were asked to assess their awareness and note the form of participation in projects of the modern student environment: intramural events, scientific conferences and seminars, forums of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, and the All-Russian Student project “Your Turn.” According to the results of the study, it was revealed that awareness, willingness to participate in events and projects, the reasons for non-participation, and motivation to participate depend on the field in which students study, and it was also revealed that female students are more active than male students.