Innovative practices in children’s voluntary associations aimed at preparing schoolchildren for professional self-determination

Abstract

This study aims to examine new forms of professional self-determination among youths and to discuss the participation in this work of all social institutions. The authors focus on activities carried out at children’s voluntary associations which, in their view, have an important educational potential and as such can be very productive in this field. The objective of this research is to study and to systemize existing and innovative experiences of children’s voluntary associations in shaping perceptions about careers among children and teenagers. The article regards this topic in general pedagogic and historical terms. In an effort to comprehend the long-term game method, the authors draw extensively on the pedagogical legacy of Innokenty N. Zhukov, a Russian educator from the 1920s. The article gives a detailed analysis of Zhukov’s works on the development of long-term games. The authors use a number of research methods, such as the comparative historical analysis, project development and modelling, to discover how to upgrade the long-term game method in educational practices adopted in present-day voluntary associations. The article provides an in-depth description of the development methodology of long-term games and presents the methodological technique known as “the wheel of deployment of long-term games” and its significance for various career-related projects and quests. The authors present and accurately describe educational games, such as Children’s Expeditionary Force and Volgaryata, developed taking into consideration the career choices of children and teenagers. An experimental project was undertaken at the Republic of Young Transbaikalians, a local children’s voluntary organization involving over 3,000 schoolchildren, and Volgaryata, the urban voluntary organization of the city of Togliatti involving 100 teenagers. It was proved that long-term career educational games can have a positive impact on young people’s professional self-determination and help them focus on careers in high demand on the presentday Russian job market. As a result, the participants in children’s voluntary associations improved their ideas about careers in high demand and identified reasons for their future career choices. The development methodology of educational games can enrich activities in use at children’s voluntary associations. This article targets heads and employees at education management bodies and voluntary organizations as well as all specialists and citizens interested in developing the children’s movement.