HELP AS A LIFESTYLE: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY

Abstract

Introduction. The volunteering movement for young people provides them with opportunities to learn and realize themselves through the provision of assistance both to the individual and to society as a whole. Considering the complex state of the political, economic, and social spheres, the reform of the pension system, the introduction of a technological approach to the theory and practice of social work, etc., many scientists and practitioners in Ukraine have turned their professional attention to volunteering as an important means of self-realization of young people. The available scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists make it possible to get acquainted with the main conceptual approaches to the organization of the volunteer movement in Ukraine, with some theoretical aspects of this problem, with the practical experience of organizing volunteer schools, conducting trainings, implementing volunteer programs in various regions, specific forms of work of volunteers, tested in practice. Goal. The purpose of the article is a theoretical study of the psychological structure of volunteering as a means of self-realization of student youth. The results. Based on the analysis of the literature, we managed to find out that when a person is included in a group of volunteers, he usually has his own motivation, goals, needs and factors. For successful self-realization in volunteering, it is necessary to clearly understand the motives for engaging in this activity, one’s own abilities and skills, etc. Today’s youth has one rather significant advantage compared to even the youth of the early 90s of the last century. They can freely travel abroad, study in foreign higher education institutions – generally have unhindered access to the treasures of world culture and science. It is quite interesting that relatively few modern students and young professionals use the chance to learn about the world personally, and not from books or television. Meanwhile, there is quite a lot of information about exchanges and studying abroad today on the Internet. True, in most cases it is quite difficult to get into a study or exchange program on the first try, but it is quite easy for students to take part in an international volunteer program.