Volunteering as a Predictor of Social Solidarity

Abstract

The relevance of the topic of the article is due to the widespread volunteering of representatives of various age groups. Volunteering allows a person to combine the satisfaction of personal needs with the needs of the society. The purpose of this research is to study the relationship between volunteerism and social solidarity in the Russian society by the example of studying the motives of a volunteer activity among the population of Yaroslavl region. The realization of the research goal is intended to contribute to a new understanding of the motives of a volunteer activity in the context of the development of social solidarity of citizens of the modern Russian society. The object of the study was people engaged in volunteer activities. The study involved 420 respondents aged 14 to 67 years. The hypothesis of the research is that volunteering is important for our modern society, since it is a predictor of the development of social solidarity, mutual assistance and cooperation. The study was conducted by the personal interview method. The survey was based on a zoned quota sample, represented in accordance with the gender, age and educational structure of the population of Yaroslavl (n = 420 people). The research showed that volunteer activities are more determined by the motives of socially approved behavior. The participation of people in socially useful activities as volunteers is mainly determined by the influence of family values and the values of the immediate environment. The motives for choosing and engaging in a volunteer activity, which is a predictor of social solidarity, are associated with a person's desire to be a part of a group, a membership in which is due to common interests and similar views on life and difficult life situations.