“Silver volunteering” as a form of social activity of the older generation: problems and prospects of development (the case of studies in the Republic of Khakassia)

Abstract

The article analyzes previously unexplored regional aspects of “silver volunteering” as a form of social activity of the older generation, its problems and prospects for development. The purpose of the study is to analyze the “silver volunteering” as a form of social activity of the older generation among the residents of the Republic of Khakassia. The authors of the article, based on the methods of questionnaire and expert survey, identified the content of the “silver volunteer” activity, its priority areas, the motivation of the “silver volunteer” and obstacles to the successful development of the volunteer movement in the region. The theoretical and methodological basis of the article is the approaches of well-known foreign and domestic authors, which identify the actual problems of maintaining stability in society. The authors of the article rely on the activity approach, which includes the concepts of “adaptation”, “mobility”, “motives”, etc. The article presents the results of a survey conducted among the “silver volunteers”, which reflect the respondents’ opinions about the content of volunteer activities, their motivation and interests, their participation in volunteer practices, etc. (n = 155). In addition, the article includes the results of an expert survey (n = 5) conducted in the form of an in-depth interview with the coordinators of volunteer movements in the region, which reflects the current state of the volunteer movement and barriers to its implementation. The study showed that participation in volunteer movements is a successful practice of self-realization, social adaptation of older people. The priority areas of volunteer activity are environmental, educational, cultural and educational. The following are identified barriers to the organization and implementation of the volunteer movement: the lack of training programs for volunteer work; the fear of “silver volunteers” to be incompetent, especially when working with seriously ill people; the lack of criteria for evaluating the effective activity of a volunteer; the lack of systematic methodological assistance and support of volunteer centers.