Samenvatting

This study will examine whether voluntary work or an internship in a developing country contributes to the development of global citizenship among young people. For the purpose of this study, global citizenship will be defined as a combination of social awareness and possessing international competencies. For a period of four years, a group of 1000 participants between 14 and 25 years old was followed using online self-administered surveys, surveys conducted within the social environment and a smaller number of in-depth interviews. Data collection took place prior to an internship or voluntary work in a developing country, following their return, and six months after their return. Almost all of the international competencies that according to prior research are required to be able to function effectively when communicating with people from a different cultural background were found to have increased during their their stay abroad. Only reading and writing skills in the local language of the area were shown not to have improved. The greatest amount of improvement occurred in the area of intercultural competencies, namely attitude, knowledge, behaviour and skills. Following their stay abroad, the personal and social competencies of participants were also shown to have increased. Relatively speaking, their international professional and academic skills improved the least. Despite this, following the return from voluntary work or an internship in a developing country, a larger number of participants were shown to be exhibiting a socially responsible attitude with an understanding of interdependence, equality of all people and a shared responsibility for solving global issues, and expressed this more frequently in their behaviour. In addition, an increase in flexibility, cultural empathy, social initiative and emotional stability among participants was observed. What essentially characterises the participants according to the in-depth interviews is the ability they have developed to look through someone else’s eyes at their own culture and living conditions in the Netherlands and to use their improved self-confidence to live a more socially aware life and/or engage in international activities after their return from abroad.