FACTORS INFLUENCING ENGAGEMENT AND TYPE OF VOLUNTEERING ACTIVITIES PREFERRED BY THE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY STUDENT

Abstract

Volunteering is defined as a voluntary activity or activity that benefits both the volunteer and the group or community that is aided in urban and rural areas. There is no doubt that students have extensive exposure and accessibility to enable them to actively engage in volunteering activities. However, the changing lifestyle of the community nowadays directly affects the trend of student participation in volunteer activities. In this regard, this study was conducted to examine the trends of students getting involved and participating in volunteering activities. This trend of engagement will be seen from two aspects, i) the factors influencing engagement and ii) the type of volunteering activity preferred by students. The study involves 400 students who participated in volunteering activities at three public universities, namely UM, UKM, and UPM. The results showed that the main factor of influence student participation in volunteering activities was colleagues and instructors (i.e. lecturers, teachers, etc.). Meanwhile, the type of activities preferred by the student is community services, education, and environmental protection.