Volunteering for the students in Brasov

• Author: Marinela C. Simon
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 139-146

Bulletin of the Transilvania University o f Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 12(61) No. 1 – 2019

https://doi.org/10.31926/but.ssl.2019.12.61.1.13

VOLUNTEERING FOR THE STUDENTS IN BRAȘOV

Marinela C. ȘIMON1

Abstract: The present article aims at presenting the results of a study, whose

main objective was to evaluate the degree of involvement of the students of

Transilvania University in Braşov in volunteering. By a quantitative

methodology, the study manages to capture relevant data concerning the

areas where students activate or would like to activate as volunteers, the

reasons for which they volunteer or not, the benefits and cost of thi s activity.

The study also highlights the need to set up an online volunteering platform

dedicated to students and meant to provide in an accessible and organized

frame useful information to all those willing to get involved.

Keywords: volunteer, students, online volunteering platform.

1. Introduction

Volunteering represents that type of activity ‘of public interest organized for the

benefit of other persons or of the society, organized by private or public law companies,

without remuneration, individually or in groups’, with multiple benefits for both the

volunteer and for the community and society in general (The L aw of Volunteering, 2014).

In our country, although the interest in volunt eering, especially the one manifested by

national and international non-governmental organizations, has gradually increased

since 1990, the level of involvement has remained low. This reality is also confirmed by

the results of a European survey carried out in 2011 which claims that in countries such

as Bulgaria, Romania, Portugal, Poland, etc., volunteering involvement is well below the

European average (TNS Opinion & Social, 2011).

According to the same survey, the most important indicator of participation in

volunteering activities is not age or gender, but education, those with higher education

are more likely to engage in volunteering. The results of a national survey conducted by

the Centre for Marketing and Social Prognosis (CMSP, 2013) support this idea, by

presenting the profile of the Romanian volunteer as follows: Young pupil or student /

employee with higher education, motivated by solidarity (40%) and the desire to

improve professional experience (15%).

Being aware of this reality and wishing to increase the number of students from

Transilvania University in Braşov who get involved in volunteering activities, in the

project called UTBVolunteer, funded by the PNCD III European and International

Cooperation p rogram - ERANET-FLAG, we pr oposed setting up the first online volunteering

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, marinela.simon@unitbv.ro