TY - JOUR

T1 - Care leavers as helpers

T2 - Motivations for and benefits of helping others

AU - Melkman, Eran

AU - Mor-Salwo, Yifat

AU - Mangold, Katharina

AU - Zeller, Maren

AU - Benbenishty, Rami

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

PY - 2015/7/1

Y1 - 2015/7/1

N2 - Much of the attention concerning youth in care focuses on the ways they are being helped and supported. This study focuses on the motivations and experiences which lead youth in care to assume a helper role, the meaning they ascribe to such a role and the benefits consequently gained. The study sample consisted of 28 Israeli and German care leavers, aged 18-26, who had begun, were about to begin or had already finished higher education. The results show various motivations for assuming a helper role e.g. socialization through early parental roles within biological families, modeling by significant others, and exposure to pro-social values and opportunities for volunteering within the care systems. The ways that these young people support others vary. Some volunteer within their communities, some support members of their family of origin, and others integrated the idea of supporting others into their career choice. According to these young people, assuming a helper role provided a strong sense of purpose in life and contributed to their self-efficacy, social connectedness and ability to cope with their adverse past. In particular, supporting others seems to reflect care leavers' wish to lead a normal life.

AB - Much of the attention concerning youth in care focuses on the ways they are being helped and supported. This study focuses on the motivations and experiences which lead youth in care to assume a helper role, the meaning they ascribe to such a role and the benefits consequently gained. The study sample consisted of 28 Israeli and German care leavers, aged 18-26, who had begun, were about to begin or had already finished higher education. The results show various motivations for assuming a helper role e.g. socialization through early parental roles within biological families, modeling by significant others, and exposure to pro-social values and opportunities for volunteering within the care systems. The ways that these young people support others vary. Some volunteer within their communities, some support members of their family of origin, and others integrated the idea of supporting others into their career choice. According to these young people, assuming a helper role provided a strong sense of purpose in life and contributed to their self-efficacy, social connectedness and ability to cope with their adverse past. In particular, supporting others seems to reflect care leavers' wish to lead a normal life.

KW - Care leavers

KW - Normality

KW - Occupational choice

KW - Resilience

KW - Social support

KW - Volunteering

KW - Social Work and Social Pedagogics

KW - Gender and Diversity

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84930204869&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.05.004

DO - 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.05.004

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84930204869

VL - 54

SP - 41

EP - 48

JO - Children and Youth Services Review

JF - Children and Youth Services Review

SN - 0190-7409

ER -