Participation in social activities, 1997-2011

Social participation; social contacts, evaluation of the personal situation, religious denomination, volunteer work by personal characteristics.

Data available from: 1997-2011

Due to a revision of the questionnaire in 2005, the data on volunteer work are not available for 2005 and 2006. Since June 2007 the questions on volunteer work have been added again to POLS (Continuous Survey on Living Conditions). Although the questions are the same, the context of the questions, the measuring period and the used weighting scheme are different. For more information, see the report Plausibiliteit POLS-module Vrijwillige Inzet 2007 (available in Dutchy only).
For the percentage of volunteer workers this change did not have considerable consequences. The percentage of persons providing volunteer aid, however, is not comparable with those of previous years.

From 2005 on, a new weighting scheme (available in Dutchy only) is used for the figures on religion and worshipping. This new scheme results in an improved representation of in particular non-western immigrants in the response.
Because of this, a more realistic estimation of the division of religions in the Netherlands is possible. The increase in the percentage of devotees of other denominations in 2005 compared to 2004 is caused by the change in weighting scheme and does not constitute a true increase in following. From 2007 onwards, the new weighting scheme is also used at the figures on volunteer work.

Status of the figures:
All data recorded in this publication are final data.

Changes as of 19 March 2018:
This table has been discontinued.

Changes as of 23 March 2012:
The urbanization figures of 2008 and 2009 on the following subjects were presented incorrectly:
-social contacts with relatives
-social contacts with friends, acquaintances
-happiness
-pleased with the way things go

When will new figures be published?
Not applicable.