Study on primary and secondary school integrated volunteer activities of Rover Scouts: Exploring the potential of Rover Scout system as educational volunteer activities

Objectives This study aims to explore the potential of the Rover Scout program as an educational volunteer activity by analyzing the experiences of university students who are Rover Scouts affiliated with the Korea Scout Association. These students participated in volunteer activities, guiding students during school field trips in ele-mentary and secondary schools. Methods To achieve this, a qualitative case study was conducted on the volunteer activities of university students who are Rover Scouts. These activities were carried out in collaboration with elementary and secondary schools under the jurisdiction of a local educational office (both entities are anonymized as A Association and A Educational Office, respectively). In-depth interviews and participant observations were conducted with five university stu-dents and graduates who voluntarily continued to perform over 100 hours of volunteer work for more than a year, even after fulfilling their graduation requirements. Results The participants gained diverse experiences in guiding students during activities outside the classroom, which were often in unstable environments. Due to the systematic volunteer management system centered around A Association, the participants were able to sustain their volunteer activities for an extended period, which enhanced their understanding of students and nurtured their aspirations to become teachers. However, they also faced challenges, such as a lack of support from their universities and the absence of clear boundaries regarding the role of Rover Scouts in volunteer work. Conclusions The Rover Scout activities, as analyzed in this study, were consistent with the purposes and content of educational volunteer activities. Moreover, these activities contributed to developing essential skills and expe-riences, such as knowledge related to organizing field trips and managing student behavior, which are crucial for teachers but difficult to acquire through traditional teacher training programs. Based on these findings, the study suggests implications for improving university volunteer programs and the Rover Scout system to enhance the quality of volunteer activities.