VOLUNTEERING IN THE EUROPEAN UNION Educational, Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency (EAC-EA) Directorate General Education and Culture (DG EAC) Final Report submitted by GHK 17 February 2010 Contact person: Cecile Mathou, email: [email protected] GHK, Rue Royale 146, 1000 Brussels, Tel: +32 2 2750100 Contractual address 526 Fulham Road, London SW6 5NR Tel: +44 20 7471 8000; Fax: +44 20 7736 0784 www.ghkint.com Study on Volunteering in the European Union Final Report Study on Volunteering in the European Union Final Report CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 6 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 21 1.1 Background to the study....................................................................................................... 21 1.1.1 Volunteering at international level ..................................................................................... 21 1.1.2 Volunteering and EU policies, programmes and activities................................................ 25 1.2 Aims of the assignment ........................................................................................................ 38 2 METHOD OF APPROACH ..................................................................................................... 39 2.1 Outline of the method used for undertaking the study ......................................................... 39 2.2 Key activities undertaken ..................................................................................................... 39 2.2.1 Phase 1: Inception phase.................................................................................................. 40 2.2.2 Phase 2: Data collection phase......................................................................................... 40 2.2.3 Phase 3: Data analysis phase........................................................................................... 41 2.2.4 Phase 4: Presentation of findings, recommendations and conclusions............................ 41 2.3 Main obstacles encountered ................................................................................................ 41 2.3.1 Complexity of the institutional landscape of the volunteering sector ................................ 41 2.3.2 Availability of data.............................................................................................................. 42 3 VOLUNTEERING IN THE EU ................................................................................................. 45 3.1 General information about volunteering in the EU ............................................................... 45 3.1.1 Different traditions and contextual backgrounds ............................................................... 45 3.1.2 Definitions.......................................................................................................................... 49 3.1.3 Number and profile of volunteers ...................................................................................... 56 3.1.4 Number and types of organisations engaging volunteers................................................. 80 3.1.5 Main voluntary activities .................................................................................................... 89 3.2 Institutional framework for volunteering................................................................................ 92 3.2.1 Main public bodies and other organisations involved in volunteering............................... 92 3.2.2 Policies ............................................................................................................................ 101 3.2.3 Programmes.................................................................................................................... 103 3.3 Regulatory framework for volunteering .............................................................................. 110 3.3.1 General legal framework ................................................................................................. 110 3.3.2 Legal framework for individual volunteers....................................................................... 115 3.3.3 Legal framework for organisations engaging volunteers................................................. 120 3.3.4 Legal framework for profit-making organisations ............................................................ 122 3.3.5 Insurance and protection of volunteers ........................................................................... 124 3.4 Economic dimension of volunteering.................................................................................. 126 Study on Volunteering in the European Union Final Report 3.4.1 Funding arrangements for volunteering .......................................................................... 126 3.4.2 Economic value of volunteering ...................................................................................... 132 3.5 Social and cultural dimension of volunteering.................................................................... 138 3.5.1 Key benefits for volunteers, the community and direct beneficiaries.............................. 138 3.5.2 Factors that motivate individuals to volunteer ................................................................. 145 3.6 Volunteering in the context of education and training ........................................................ 152 3.6.1 Recognition of volunteers’ skills and competences within the context of national education and training systems.................................................................................................................... 152 3.6.2 Education and training opportunities for volunteers........................................................ 160 3.7 EU policies and volunteering.............................................................................................. 163 3.7.1 Impact of EU policies on volunteering............................................................................. 163 3.7.2 Contribution of volunteering to EU policies ..................................................................... 169 4 SECTOR STUDY ON VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT ............................................................ 171 4.1 General information about volunteering in sport ................................................................ 171 4.1.1 Different traditions and contextual backgrounds ............................................................. 171 4.1.2 Definitions........................................................................................................................ 173 4.1.3 Number and profile of volunteers in sport ....................................................................... 173 4.1.4 Number and types of sport organisations engaging volunteers...................................... 184 4.1.5 Main voluntary activities .................................................................................................. 188 4.2 Institutional framework for volunteering in sport................................................................. 193 4.2.1 Main public bodies and other organisations involved in volunteering in sport ................ 193 4.2.2 Policies ............................................................................................................................ 195 4.2.3 Programmes.................................................................................................................... 198 4.3 Regulatory framework for volunteering in sport ................................................................. 201 4.3.1 General legal framework ................................................................................................. 201 4.3.2 Legal framework for individual volunteers in sport.......................................................... 201 4.3.3 Legal framework for sport organisations engaging volunteers ....................................... 203 4.4 Economic dimension of volunteering in sport..................................................................... 207 4.4.1 Public financing of volunteering in sport.......................................................................... 207 4.4.2 Sources of funding for sport associations ....................................................................... 214 4.4.3 Other public support and benefits ................................................................................... 215 4.4.4 The economic value of volunteering in sport................................................................... 216 4.5 Social and cultural dimension of volunteering in sport....................................................... 219 4.5.1 Key social and cultural benefits of volunteering in sport ................................................. 219 4.5.2 Factors that motivate individuals to volunteer in sport .................................................... 222 4.6 EU policies and volunteering in sport................................................................................. 223 4.6.1 Impact of EU policies on volunteering in sport ................................................................ 225 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................... 228 5.1 Main challenges and opportunities for volunteering..........................................................