Abstract:

In this paper we will discuss the subjective assessments of the competencies enhanced during the long term Youth Voluntary Service (YVS) by the students, who participated in the YVS before the studies, also which competencies they are currently using in the study process.

The paper is based on the results of the qualitative research, semi structured interviews with 15 ex-participants of YVS. All participants finished YVS in 2019 or 2020 and during research were studying at institutions of higher education. The research was conducted in November-December 2020. The selection of informants was aimed at ensuring the following criteria of sample heterogeneity: gender, year of completion of JST (2020 or 2019), diversity of study programs and Lithuanian regions. Due to the quarantine all interviews were held on the Zoom platform. This research was funded by Youth Department at Ministry of Social Security and Labour.

Main results from the research: Retrospectively informants were able to reconstruct enhancement of competencies in areas of communication, collaboration, leadership, active citizenship, learning to learn, self-confidence and self-perception. The skills / abilities developed or enhanced during the YVS fall into two of the eight areas of competence identified in the YVS Achievement Program: social-civic and learning to learn. Former YVS volunteers, currently studying in higher education institutions, are using these skills from social-civic and learning to learn competence areas: communication and self-confidence, time management and motivation to learn. In some study programs, such as nursing and social work, the identified social skills are assigned to subject competence areas, while in others they are assigned to general competence areas. Comparing themselves to other students, former volunteers feel more inclined to go into social contacts, take initiative, help others, are more organized, bolder, more self-confident. Ex-volunteers studding natural and technological sciences stand out from other students by these abilities. But the design of the research doesn’t allow to identify whether better social-civic competences brought young people to the YVS, or they were enhanced during YVS: whether they are result or reason why young people have joined YVS.

Keywords:

Competence, youth voluntary service, higher education, volunteer, student.