Reasons for participating in an international volunteering project

Reasons for participating in an international volunteering project

According to the survey, for the vast majority of former volunteers the choice of a school or a kindergarten in Poland as their location for a one-year volunteering project was a deliberate and planned decision, the reasons for which were complex.

The most frequently mentioned reason was the desire to gain professional experience abroad (91 percent of former school volunteers and 92 percent of former kindergarten volunteers). A crucial factor in opting for a school or a kindergarten as the hosting organisation was the fact that the surveyed volunteers (91 percent of school volunteers and 94 percent of kindergarten volunteers) liked being around children and youth.

Furthermore, more than 65 percent of the former volunteers hosted in schools and more than 58 percent of volunteers hosted in kindergartens stated that they had an educational background which made them suitable to work with children and youth. The percentage of those claiming to have adequate professional experience to take part in such volunteering projects was slightly higher among the school volunteers (63 percent) than among those hosted in kindergartens (52 percent). About 60 percent of the former volunteers agreed with the statement that they needed change and a break from studying or work, and that it was one of the reasons they decided to go on a long-term project to Poland.

Selected reasons for going on an international volunteering project in a school/kindergarten – similarities between hosting organisations. Percentage of affirmative answers (N=120)

I like being around children and I'm good at communicating with them

I wanted to gain professional experience abroad

I though it would be an interesting challenge

I needed change and a break from study/work

I have the right degree to work with children

I have the right professional experience gained before the project I didn't choose a school/ kindergarten. I wanted to go on a volunteering project abroad

I couldn't find a job in my own country

I didn't choose a school/ kindergarten. I wanted to go on a volunteering project in Poland

0% 20%

kindergarten 40%

school 60% 80% 100%

For about 30 percent of surveyed former volunteers hosted in Polish schools and kindergartens, volunteering was a remedy for problems with finding a job in their own country. A similar share said that the type of hosting organisation was irrelevant to them and they simply wanted to go volunteering abroad.

There are, however, statistically significant differences when it comes to other reasons for going on a volunteering project abroad, which depend on the type of hosting organisation. Former volunteers hosted in schools were much more likely to perceive their project in the context of a future career in education. As much as 67.4 percent said that they wanted to work in a school or a kindergarten in the future, and more than 76 percent claimed that they wanted to see whether such work would be suitable for them. Nearly half of the respondents said that by participating in the project they wanted to test their knowledge gained during formal education.

Selected reasons for going on an international volunteering project in a school/kindergarten – significant differences between hosting organisations. Percentage of affirmative answers (N=120)

I wanted to see if I am suited for work at a school/kindergarten

I want to work at a school/ kindergarten in the future

I wanted to verify in practice what I learnt at university

0% 20%

kindergarten 40%

school 60% 80% 100%