Participation in social activities, 1997-2011
Explanation of symbols
Table explanation
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.
Description topics
- Volunteer work
- 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 in 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 the percentage of volunteer workers this change did not
have considerable consequences. The percentage of persons giving
volunteer aid, however, is not comparable with earlier years.
The data refer to persons aged 18 years or older.
Source: POLS (Continuous Survey on Living Conditions): Recht en
Participatie (Justice and Participation; until 2005); POLS: BASIS
(General; from 2007).- Total participants volunteer work
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older carrying out in one year
volunteer work for 1 or more organisations and/or that gives volunteer
aid.
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 in 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 the percentage of volunteer workers this change did not
have considerable consequences. The percentage of persons giving
volunteer aid, however, is not comparable with earlier years.
- Organised volunteer work
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer in one year
work for 1 or more organisations.
- Youth work
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year for organisations for young people, in community centres or scouting.
- School
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year at school, e.g., parents' committee, school board, school library.
- Care, nursing
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year for homes for the elderly, child care, home nursing, visiting sick
people, welfare work in hospitals or terminal care.
- Sports club
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year at a sports club, e.g., being a member of the sports club committee,
working in the canteen, training the pupils, managing the sports centre.
- Hobby club
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year for a hobby or social club.
- Cultural society
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year for, e.g., a musical club, drama club or art club.
- Religious/philosophical organisation
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year for the church or a religious or philosophical organisation. E.g.,
being a member of the church or parish council, doing home visits,
distributing leaflets.
- Labour organisation
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year for trade union or business organisation, staff association, etc.
- Political organisation
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year for a political party or a political action group.
- Other organisations
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer work in one
year for organisations not mentioned previously.
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 in POLS (Continuous Survey on
Living Conditions). Superadded were three volunteer work categories.
Because of this change, the percentage of persons giving volunteer aid is
not comparable with those of previous years.
- Volunteer aid
- Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older that gave volunteer aid,
that is, volunteer work not related to any organisation, in the four
weeks prior to the survey. This concerns volunteer aid to people not
belonging to the own household, e.g. sick persons, neighbours, relatives,
friends and acquaintances.
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 in 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. Because of this change, the percentage of persons doing
volunteer work for organisations not mentioned previously is not
comparable with earlier years.
- Pleasure in doing volunteer work
- Percentage of volunteers aged 18 years or older that always, usually,
sometimes, hardly ever or never had pleasure in doing volunteer work. The
data are available from 1999.- Always
- Usually
- Sometimes
- Hardly ever
- Never
- Preferred quantity of volunteer work
- Time serie stopped due to unrepairable change of mode in 2005.
The data refer to persons aged 15 years or older.
Source: Integrated System of Social Surveys: justice and participation.
The data are available from 1999.
Preferred quantity of time compared to the time spent on volunteer work.
As of 2002, the category 'not applicable' has been added.
This category was previously included in the category 'equally'.- More
- Alright as it is
- Less
- Not
- Not applicable
- Preferred quantity of paid work
- Time serie stopped due to unrepairable change of mode in 2005.
The data refer to persons aged 15 years or older.
Source: Integrated System of Social Surveys: justice and participation.
The data are available from 1999.
Preferred quantity of time compared to the time spent on volunteer work.- More
- Alright as it is
- Less
- Not
- Not applicable
- Preferred quantity of household work
- The data refer to persons aged 15 years or older.
Source: Integrated System of Social Surveys: justice and participation.
The data are available from 1999.
Preferred quantity of time compared to the time spent on volunteer work.- More
- Alright as it is
- Less
- Not
- Not applicable