Exploring the impact of volunteerism integration on graduate engagement in sustainability: an analysis of opinions and experiences

Öykü Gül. 2025

Abstract

Dynamics of sustainability restructured the maintained perspectives of educational institutions, governments, civil society and all other actors. Sustainability practices are led by individuals who are socially conscious and who consistently contribute to social cause and needs. Although there is no consensus on the scope and definition of volunteering, it can be described as an activity in which individuals take responsibility to make contributions to community needs for achieving sustainability. Literature analysis highlights volunteering and sustainability along with higher education's role. This study examines whether young adults' higher education volunteering experiences affect their sustainability perceptions and post-graduation participation. It also aims to discuss the importance of volunteering practice in ensuring sustainability, through research that reveals the post-graduation perspectives and activities of graduates who have elected the volunteerism practice-oriented course offered at Istanbul Bilgi University since 2012. According to key findings, most participants possess two to eight years of post-graduation experience, indicating sufficient time for involvement in civil society activities and the fact that participating is limited to offering ideas to decision-makers demonstrates that graduates are ineffective at greater levels of participation. However, while graduates have a high awareness of sustainability and volunteerism, they are unable to put it into reality.

Relevance to Scouting

The study highlights how volunteering fosters social responsibility and sustainability awareness, which connects directly to Scouts around the world who engage in service and community action. By participating in projects and initiatives, Scouts translate awareness of social and environmental issues into practical action, developing the skills and commitment needed to contribute meaningfully to their communities. The findings also show that awareness alone is not enough, emphasizing the value of sustained, hands-on involvement, something that aligns closely with the experiences and impact of Scouts globally.