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Young People Engaging in Volunteering: Questioning a Generational Trend in an Individualized Society

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  • Carolina Jardim

    (Centre of Research and Intervention in Education, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal)

  • Sofia Marques da Silva

    (Centre of Research and Intervention in Education, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal)

Abstract

Today young people experience a world that is being significantly changed by large-scale transformations in education and labour markets. Youth, as a generation, is most affected by those changes, since they are more likely to reshape their ways of living in response to the conditions they face, which inevitably produce inequalities in their lives. Volunteering is one of their responses. This paper aims to discuss the generational motivations and attitudes of a group of 11 European young people to participate in a European Voluntary Service project during a period of one year. The data was collected through an ethnographic methodological approach conducted between 2013 and 2014 in a Youth Centre in northern Portugal. Results clearly indicate that young people have an instrumental relationship with volunteering, which is mainly focused on the individual benefits that they believe they will acquire in their personal and professional life. Volunteering emerges as an opportunity to escape and to overcome the persisting challenges and constraints posed by our society; namely unemployment and precariousness, both of which are on the rise amongst young generations around the world.

Suggested Citation

  • Carolina Jardim & Sofia Marques da Silva, 2018. "Young People Engaging in Volunteering: Questioning a Generational Trend in an Individualized Society," Societies, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:8:y:2018:i:1:p:8-:d:129296
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ken Roberts & Siyka Kovacheva & Stanimir Kabaivanov, 2017. "Still Troubled: Tunisia’s Youth During and Since the Revolution of 2011," Societies, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-14, October.
    2. International Labour Office., 2013. "Global employment trends for youth 2013 : a generation at risk," Global Employment Trends Reports 994816973402676, International Labour Office, Economic and Labour Market Analysis Department.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jorge Díaz-Esterri & Ángel De-Juanas & Rosa Goig-Martínez & Francisco Javier García-Castilla, 2021. "Inclusive Leisure as a Resource for Socio-Educational Intervention during the COVID-19 Pandemic with Care Leavers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-13, August.
    2. Carlo Genova, 2018. "Youth Activism in Political Squats between Centri Sociali and Case Occupate," Societies, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-25, September.
    3. Katarzyna Pawlewicz & Adam Pawlewicz, 2020. "Interregional Diversity of Social Capital in the Context of Sustainable Development—A Case Study of Polish Voivodeships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-24, July.
    4. MIREA Cosmin-Nicolae & CEPOIU Georgiana-Mihaela, 2020. "Volunteering - Engine Of Youth Development," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(2), pages 98-108, December.
    5. Ángel De-Juanas & Francisco Javier García-Castilla & Diego Galán-Casado & Jorge Díaz-Esterri, 2020. "Time Management by Young People in Social Difficulties: Suggestions for Improving Their Life Trajectories," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Carlo Genova, 2020. "Participation with Style. Clothing among Young Activists in Political Groups," Societies, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-22, July.

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