1. Introduction

Extracurricular activities and student communities are considered an important element of modern education, contributing to students’ socialization, leadership development, and civic engagement. Russian educational researchers emphasize that participation in student clubs and associations supports the formation of soft skills and increases students’ sense of belonging to their educational institutions.

However, despite the acknowledged educational value of student communities, their development remains uneven across the Russian Federation, particularly in regional schools and universities. According to a nationwide survey involving more than 12,800 students across Russian higher education institutions, only about 44 % of respondents reported participation in public or volunteer activities, while 56 % indicated no involvement in extracurricular activities within their universities. These findings suggest that the formal existence of student councils or clubs does not necessarily lead to active student engagement.

One of the key factors contributing to the low popularity of student communities is the insufficient institutional support provided by educational organizations. Analytical reports and expert assessments note that many regional schools and universities prioritize academic performance indicators over extracurricular development, which limits administrative attention, funding, and organizational support for student-led initiatives.

The problem is further intensified by a shortage of human resources, particularly in secondary education. Official statistics and sectoral analyses indicate a high workload among teachers in regional schools, reducing their capacity to supervise clubs, mentor student initiatives, or support self-organized communities beyond formal teaching responsibilities. As a result, students often lack consistent guidance and encouragement necessary for the sustainable development of extracurricular communities.

In addition to institutional and structural barriers, student motivation plays a significant role. Sociological studies on youth social participation highlight that academic pressure, exam-oriented educational models, and the absence of tangible incentives reduce students’ willingness to invest time in non-mandatory activities. When student clubs receive limited support or have low visibility within educational institutions, participation is frequently perceived as having minimal practical value.

Despite the relevance of these challenges, comprehensive official statistics on student participation in clubs and communities remain limited, especially with regard to regional differences and comparisons between school and university students. National agencies such as Rosstat and the Ministry of Education do not provide centralized, detailed data on extracurricular engagement, highlighting a significant empirical gap.

Therefore, this study aims to examine the key reasons behind the underdevelopment and low popularity of school and university communities in the regions of Russia, focusing on institutional support, availability of mentorship, and student motivation. The research is based on a survey of secondary-school and university students and seeks to contribute to a more evidence-based understanding of barriers to student engagement in regional educational institutions.

2. Literature review

A fundamental characteristic of the Russian context is the absence of centralized, official statistical data on participation in student clubs (either at the senior high school or university level). Unlike sports participation or general enrollment statistics, government agencies such as Rosstat and the Ministry of Education do not regularly publish disaggregated figures about how many school or university clubs exist, how many students attend them, or their frequency of operation. This lack of systematic reporting suggests that student communities and clubs remain a less visible and lower-priority area within national education and youth statistics (absence inferred from central statistical registries and the lack of specific output in standard Rosstat education reporting).

The very absence of open official metrics on core indicators — such as the number of clubs, membership levels, or regular attendance — indicates both the low institutional emphasis on organized student communities and the research gap in understanding their prevalence and impact in Russia.

Despite the lack of direct club participation statistics, the federal government — through the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) — does manage targeted grant competitions aimed at promoting youth initiatives, including support for projects that can involve student communities. Rosmolodezh is the core federal body responsible for youth policy implementation, including state youth programmes and grant distribution.

A major mechanism of support is the “Rosmolodezh.Grants” competition:

— The total grant fund for the programme has been reported at approximately 2.5 billion ₽ to support youth initiatives nationwide, covering a broad set of projects that may include creative, social and community-oriented activities. [1]

— In recent seasons, the programe received over 15,000 applications with more than 24,000 participants from all Russian regions, a record submission level for its history, and average grant requests around ~445,998 ₽. [2]

— Winners of competitions such as the 2nd season in 2025 are eligible to receive grants up to 1,000,000 ₽ to implement their projects in categories that explicitly include “двигай_сообщества” (developing communities) and related initiatives that can cover student clubs or socially driven youth structures. [3]

— Individual projects supported by Rosmolodezh include international and interdisciplinary youth activities; for example, a representative of an international student club (WYFD International Friendship Club) won support of 500,000 ₽ for a “School of International Friendship” project, highlighting how funding can facilitate year-long engagement and club-related programming. [4]

However, even with active grant programmes, there is no official national registry of the total number of student clubs or systematic tracking of participation outcomes linked specifically to club cultures in schools or universities.

In contrast to the Russian data gap, statistically representative studies in the United States provide clearer insights into participation in extracurricular and student organization activities:

High School Participation in Extracurricular Activities

— In the U. S., long-running national and census data indicate that participation in extracurricular clubs and activities among school-aged youth is measurable, with research showing that overall club involvement is present across demographic groups, though trends suggest participation varies with socioeconomic conditions (U. S. Census Bureau data on extracurricular involvement).

University Student Involvement

— U.S. college surveys reveal that a considerable portion of students either participate in or abstain from extracurricular activities such as student organizations, service learning, or leadership societies. For example, a recent survey reported that approximately 25 % of four-year college students reported no participation in campus activities, with nonparticipation rising to ~60 % among students at two-year institutions. [5]

— Another representative survey on club involvement suggests that around 60 % of university students report spending at least an hour per week involved in student clubs or organizations, an experience shared by student engagement researchers. [6]

— At the institutional level, some U. S. universities report hundreds to thousands of officially registered student organizations, with examples like The University of Texas at Austin listing over 1,600 student organizations and several other large universities ranging from ~1,000 to ~1,500 clubs each. [7]

— There are no official statistics of average funding student or school clubs. However almost every university has their own report of the amount of financing. Most clubs rely on a combination of university funding, fundraising, and sponsorship; many have budgets ranging from $0 to $10,000+ per year, depending on their size and activity. For example, шn November 2024, the Student Government Association (SGA) of Northeastern University published its first official funding reports for student organizations in more than a decade, covering the fiscal years 2024 and 2025. Funding has been approved for 204 organizations in the amount of approximately $4.026 million. [8]

These figures indicate that, at least in the U. S., both participation rates and club infrastructure are actively tracked and publicly documented, unlike in Russia where similar official summaries are scarce.

Table 1

Sources: Inside Higher Ed, Rosmolodezh.Grants, University of California survey, CollegeXpress

3. Methodology and Data Collection.

The data for this study was collected through an online survey conducted via Google Forms. A total of 27 participants, including university students and high school seniors from different regions of Russia, took part in the survey. One of the objectives of this survey was not only to identify potential solutions to the challenges facing student and school clubs, but also to partially address the existing statistical gap in publicly available data on this topic.

Fig. 1

Most respondents were university students (77.8 %, 21 participants), whereas high school seniors represented 22.2 % of the sample (6 participants).

Fig. 2

Most respondents (88.9 %) reported that extracurricular clubs or student organizations are present at their institution.

Fig. 3

While 63 % of respondents stated that they currently participate in at least one club, a significant minority (37 %) reported no involvement. This suggests that availability alone does not ensure participation.

Fig. 4

Discussion and debate clubs were the most commonly attended, selected by 55.6 % of participants. All other club types individually attracted fewer than 10 % of respondents, indicating limited diversity in active participation.

Fig. 5

The primary barrier to club participation is lack of time, reported by 59.3 % of respondents. Secondary factors include lack of interest and insufficient information about existing clubs.

Fig. 6

Personal interest emerged as the strongest motivator for potential participation (63 %), followed by opportunities for social interaction (48.1 %). External incentives such as institutional support or awards were less influential.

Fig. 7

More than half of respondents (55.6 %) consider the current number of clubs insufficient. This perception reflects unmet demand for extracurricular opportunities.

Fig. 8

An overwhelming majority of respondents (85.2 %) expressed a desire for a wider range of clubs. This result highlights strong interest in expanding extracurricular offerings.

Fig. 9

Speaking about the role of clubs in personal and social development, all respondents rated them as at least somewhat important. No responses indicated that clubs are unimportant.

Fig. 10

Financial support was identified as the most effective institutional measure to increase participation (77.8 %). Providing clearer information and reducing academic workload were also frequently mentioned.

4. Possible Solutions to the Low Popularity of Student and School Clubs.

1. Increase support from schools and universities for student and senior school clubs.

Educational institutions can strengthen club culture by providing mentorship, allocated time, and administrative assistance. For example, assigning a faculty advisor to a debate club can help students organize meetings and events more consistently.

2. Provide small grants and basic funding for club activities.

Even limited financial support can significantly improve club sustainability by covering essential expenses. For instance, a small grant could be used to rent space, purchase materials, or invite a guest speaker.

3. Introduce simple incentives for participation (certificates, recognition, portfolio value).

Recognizing extracurricular involvement can increase student motivation and long-term engagement. For example, certificates or official recognition in academic portfolios may encourage students to view club participation as valuable rather than optional.

4. Improve awareness of existing clubs through better communication and promotion.

Many students remain uninformed about available clubs due to weak communication channels. Regular announcements via institutional websites or social media platforms could make club opportunities more visible and accessible.

Implementing these measures may increase student interest in extracurricular clubs, improve participation rates, and strengthen the role of student communities within schools and universities. Over time, such changes can contribute to the development of a more active and sustainable club culture in regional educational institutions in the Russian Federation.

5. Conclusion

This study examined the challenges of student and senior school club development in Russian regions, highlighting low institutional engagement, limited diversity of extracurricular opportunities, and insufficient motivation for sustained participation. The survey results indicate that although most respondents recognize the importance of clubs and express a strong interest in expanding them, participation remains constrained by time limitations, lack of information, and weak institutional support. By collecting original survey data in an area where publicly available regional statistics are scarce, this research contributes preliminary empirical evidence to an underexplored topic. Based on these findings, increasing institutional involvement, providing basic funding, introducing simple incentives, and improving communication about existing clubs may help reduce barriers to participation and foster a more active and sustainable club culture within educational institutions.

References:

1. Росмолодёжь.Гранты. — Текст: электронный // grants.myrosmol.ru: [сайт]. — URL: https://fadm.gov.ru/directions/grant/ (дата обращения: 28.12.2025).
2. Росмолодёжь.Гранты — Telegram. — Текст: электронный // rosmolodezgrants: [сайт]. — URL: https://t.me/rosmolodezgrants (дата обращения: 28.12.2025).
3. Росмолодёжь.Гранты 2 сезон. — Текст: электронный // myrosmol.ru: [сайт]. — URL: https://myrosmol.ru/events/130c3435–7273–4102–843b-f41541b9ce2e (дата обращения: 28.12.2025).
4. Colleen, Flaherty Success story: a representative of the WYFD International Friendship Club won a grant for a project for international students / Flaherty Colleen. — Текст: электронный // www.insidehighered.com: [сайт]. — URL: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/college-experience/2025/11/10/survey-third-college-students-arent-getting (дата обращения: 28.12.2025).
5. Survey: A Third of College Students Aren’t Getting Involved. — Текст: электронный // www.insidehighered.com: [сайт]. — URL: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/college-experience/2025/11/10/survey-third-college-students-arent-getting (дата обращения: 28.12.2025).
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7. Colleges With the Largest Number of Registered Student Organizations. — Текст: электронный // www.collegexpress.com: [сайт]. — URL: https://www.collegexpress.com/lists/list/colleges-with-the-largest-number-of-registered-student-organizations/2096/ (дата обращения: 28.12.2025).
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