<p>Street-level youth volunteers often possess strong moral dispositions due to their experiences and the nature of their work. The current study intends to examine youth volunteers’ involvement in combating the spread of COVID-19 in Rwanda and explore the significance of moral dispositions that influence their involvement. This study adopted a qualitative approach by conducting 21 semi-structured interviews with representatives of youth volunteers, leaders who worked directly with youth volunteers from the local government and the central government, and representatives of local citizens who benefited from youth volunteers ’interventions from the Huye District of Rwanda. Guided by the concepts of moral dispositions suggested by Zacka and the street-level bureaucracy by Lipsky, the thematic data analysis was where data were grouped into three identified categories of moral dispositions that guided youth volunteers: the Patriots, the Public Benefactors, and the Innovators. The findings show youth volunteers had embraced various creative ways of dealing with the pandemic, such as serving as role models, standing wherever people can’t physically meet, moving from house to house when needed, prohibiting handshaking, and ensuring information sharing. Also, youth volunteers’ concern for their fellow citizens’ welfare and sense of patriotism for their country were among the factors that led to their involvement, revealing the above-identified moral dispositions. Government policies also played a significant role in guiding the youth volunteers during the pandemic response. The study recommends that community interventionists understand and investigate the possible moral dispositions that may be guiding their interventions and understand the contribution each moral disposition may make to the client’s satisfaction.</p>

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Moral dispositions of street-level youth volunteers: an insight for innovative community interventions

  • Ronald Mayora Synnes,
  • Pierre Celestin Bimenyimana,
  • Rutembesa Eugene,
  • Bukuluki Paul

摘要

Street-level youth volunteers often possess strong moral dispositions due to their experiences and the nature of their work. The current study intends to examine youth volunteers’ involvement in combating the spread of COVID-19 in Rwanda and explore the significance of moral dispositions that influence their involvement. This study adopted a qualitative approach by conducting 21 semi-structured interviews with representatives of youth volunteers, leaders who worked directly with youth volunteers from the local government and the central government, and representatives of local citizens who benefited from youth volunteers ’interventions from the Huye District of Rwanda. Guided by the concepts of moral dispositions suggested by Zacka and the street-level bureaucracy by Lipsky, the thematic data analysis was where data were grouped into three identified categories of moral dispositions that guided youth volunteers: the Patriots, the Public Benefactors, and the Innovators. The findings show youth volunteers had embraced various creative ways of dealing with the pandemic, such as serving as role models, standing wherever people can’t physically meet, moving from house to house when needed, prohibiting handshaking, and ensuring information sharing. Also, youth volunteers’ concern for their fellow citizens’ welfare and sense of patriotism for their country were among the factors that led to their involvement, revealing the above-identified moral dispositions. Government policies also played a significant role in guiding the youth volunteers during the pandemic response. The study recommends that community interventionists understand and investigate the possible moral dispositions that may be guiding their interventions and understand the contribution each moral disposition may make to the client’s satisfaction.