Volunteer activity in the view of student youth: regional aspect (on the example of Penza region)

Recently, the volunteer movement has been gaining popularity in Russian society, which is becoming an important component of civil society. This trend is corroborated by monitoring studies conducted by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTSIOM), which indicate a steady increase in the number of individuals engaged in volunteer activities. Volunteering among young people is of particular importance, as it not only contributes to solving social problems, but also has a positive impact on young people, contributing to their personal growth and development. The results of a survey carried out by the authors among student youth revealed that the concept of “volunteering” elicits predominantly positive associations among respondents. The overwhelming majority of young individuals associate volunteer activity with notions such as “selfless assistance”, “charity”, and “public engagement during leisure time”. Based on the data obtained, the authors conclude that student youth is willing to participate in volunteer projects, despite the fact that many of them lack prior experience in this area. Among students, the most appealing opportunities lie in organizing and conducting various mass events in the fields of science, culture, and education. This finding indicates the presence of an untapped potential among “future” volunteers. It is noteworthy that the ongoing youth policy and educational work of universities should contribute to the active involvement of student youth in volunteer activities.