THE PARTICIPATION OF STUDENTS (FUTURE TEACHERS) IN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS - A WAY OF DEVELOPING CITIZENSHIP COMPETENCIES

At the beginning of the 21st century, a new situation has developed in Latvia as a result of social and economic transformations. Along with the formation of civil society, issues concerning the social, legal, and spiritual life of student population have come to the foreground. There can be observed new features of behavioural culture and standards of thinking, readiness to live in a democratic environment. The young generation students perceive freedom and equality as necessary preconditions for varied activities, as an opportunity for individual's self-actualization. Civil society organizations are important institutions with regard to the development of citizenship competencies. The article is devoted to the development of citizenship competencies in civil society organizations - a topical issue in the present-day situation of social and cultural life in Latvia. The purpose of the article is to analyse students' participation in civil society organizations focusing on the development of their citizenship competencies. Materials and methodology: the theoretical method-the analysis of academic literature, documents and studies; the empirical method - students' survey.