Care leavers as helpers: Motivations for and benefits of helping others
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In: Children and Youth Services Review, Vol. 54, 01.07.2015, p. 41-48.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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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 -