VOLUNTEERING AS A FORM OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN YOUTH CAREER ORIENTATION: THE CASE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ARAD COUNTY

<doi>10.24250/jpe/2/2025/CID/</doi>

Abstract

Volunteering has become an increasingly visible dimension
of educational and community life in Romania, especially
in regions where schools have established partnerships
with local organizations. This paper explores volunteering
as a form of social capital that supports the career
orientation of high school students in Arad County.
Through the theoretical lenses of Bourdieu, Coleman, and
Putnam, the study highlights how voluntary engagement
contributes to the development of professional identity,
civic competence, and relational networks that facilitate
career decision-making. Volunteering is understood as
both an educational and sociological process—one that
links the school environment to the broader community and
the labor market.