Abstract

The article clarifies the concepts of social activity, volunteer activity, volunteering, volunteer. Volunteer activity is defined as a separate type of social activity. For such a type of social activity, the following features are characteristic: the lack of remuneration in general, voluntariness, the benefit of the group, or society from activities. Volunteering can be organized or unorganized, carried out individually or in a group, public or private organizations. Based on the characteristics of volunteering, volunteers are people who voluntarily, on their own accord, engage in activities that benefit people or the environment and do not require financial compensation. The article describes the results of a sociological study aimed at determining the level of volunteer activity of the inhabitants of Kharkiv. The data obtained during the study allowed us to say that in most cases, volunteering is associated with providing food, things, equipment and housing. To fully develop volunteer practices in society, and to support volunteering by the broad masses, society must trust volunteers and recognize volunteer activities as socially useful. Among Kharkiv people, the level of trust in volunteering is not high, moreover, this level is particularly low among people with secondary education and low income. The main reasons for non-participation in volunteering activities are the conviction of Kharkiv residents that the state, not ordinary citizens, should take care of the poor. Volunteers are more likely to be engaged by respondents with higher education and middle or high levels of prosperity. The most promising areas for volunteering are helping homeless children and orphans, helping the elderly and the disabled, helping the internally displaced people and improving the city. Various forms of volunteering are characteristic of different areas of volunteering. The main forms of assistance to the army and internally displaced people is money and supply providing. Regarding orphans and homeless children, the main forms of assistance are supply help, concerts, festivals and other entertainment activities organizing. The basic forms of assistance to the elderly are assistance in organizing events, assistance with professional counseling, help with supply. The main motive for participation in volunteer activity is the desire to change society by solving acute social problems.