FORMATION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY OF A PERSON IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL EDUCATION

National identity is a political category that defines an “imaginary community” of people, the main characteristic of which is the corresponding relationship between oneself and the state. The unity of the state and the nation is achieved through common values, symbols and images that determine the indivisibility of historical destinies within the framework of this interaction. National identity is one of the components of a person’s identity, associated with national or ethnic affiliation. The article characterizes national identity in three aspects: as a socio-psychological consequence of cognitive-emotional and value processes of identification of an individual with a national community; as a motivational and cognitive core of a person’s national self-consciousness; as an important element in the general structure of a person’s social identity, an integral part of a person’s self-image. The structure of national identity contains various components that can be divided into several main groups: the cognitive component contains knowledge about one’s country, its history, culture, language, symbols and values; the emotional component contains a sense of belonging to one’s country, pride in one’s country, as well as an emotional reaction to events taking place in the country; the behavioral component contains actions that a person takes in view of his national identity. The components of national identity are named: awareness of belonging to a certain nation; knowledge about one’s country; attachment to one’s country; a sense of community with other representatives of one’s nation. It has been proven that extracurricular activities have enormous potential in the formation of children’s national identity, since they are built on a voluntary basis and on the interest of children, which allows them to go beyond the standard school curriculum and provides opportunities for the active and creative development of children of different ages. Extracurricular activities, being optional, naturally complete the gaps in the social formation of the individual. Extracurricular activities are designed to develop independence and initiative in children. In the process of extracurricular activities, children receive not only knowledge, but also new experience of interaction, which contributes to the formation of moral values, civic qualities, which will be important in adult life.