Volunteering Youth During the Pandemic: A Portrait of a Hero of a Difficult Time

Abstract

The article analyzes the portrait of the regional youth volunteer community, which implements its activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors define the features of the organization and implementation of volunteer activities in conditions of risk and uncertainty. The empirical part of the study bases on the survey of respondents aged 14—24 carried in Sverdlovsk region in August 15, 2021 — October 15, 2021 (N = 1105, quota sampling, sample error does not exceed 3.5%). The authors implement binary logistic regression to assess the contribution of various factors (socio-demographic, activity, and informational factors, factors of self-identification, etc.) to the probability of volunteer participation in the #WeAreTogether (#MiVmeste) campaign. The study shows that the «heroes of a difficult time» are representatives of a small pro-social and politically oriented part of Russian youth, previously included in the organizational structures created within the framework of state youth policy, and majority of the youth is excluded from these activities. The hypothesis of expanding the social base of youth volunteering during the pandemic by means of Internet communication resources has not received empirical confirmation, which is due to a number of factors. The capacity of the infrastructure of volunteering in solving social problems during the crisis period was confirmed only in relation to the already organized youth of the region. Its information resources proved to be effective only for experienced young volunteers actively participating in organized social activities. It is shown that the core of the organized volunteer movement of young people is characterized by hybrid models of volunteering, combining elements of the traditional, Soviet, and democratic models.

Acknowledgements. The research was supported by RFBR, project № 20-011-00471.