Voluntariado como oportunidade de desenvolvimento pessoal, social e cívico

: um estudo com estudantes do ensino superior da UCP

Abstract

The journey of students in Higher Education (HE) is a place of high-quality academic learning and formation that should be accompanied by personal, social, and civic education. A university student is exposed to new challenges and stress, which are important for their development. The demands of HE reveals positive outcomes in terms of psychosocial, emotional, autonomy, identity, and holistic development. Based on this framework, this study aimed to analyze the perceptions of volunteer students from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa regarding their volunteering experience and the development of personal, social, and civic skills. Using a mixed methodology, 98 volunteer students were surveyed through an online questionnaire adapted for this purpose. It included three sections: "Volunteer and Volunteering Experience Characterization" and "Development of Personal, Social, and Civic Skills." The latter section included the Civic Attitudes and Skills Questionnaire (CASQ). Quantitative data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software (version 28) for descriptive and inferential analyses, while qualitative data were analyzed using MAXQDA software for thematic analysis. Considering the data, the impact of participating in volunteering activities is perceived by participants as highly relevant to their overall development. Both qualitative and quantitative data emphasized interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, and personal empowerment as the most highlighted by the students. The results reinforce the importance of providing these volunteering experiences in the context of Higher Education to promote comprehensive curricula and to educate students beyond academic objectives.

Date of Award	13 Jul 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Diana Soares (Supervisor)