National Report on the Implementation of Common Objectives for the Voluntary Activities

REPUBLIKA SLOVENIJA

MINISTRSTVO ZA ŠOLSTVO IN ŠPORT

URAD RS ZA MLADINO

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National report on the implementation of common objectives for the voluntary activities of young people

Introduction

Slovenia has a long tradition of voluntary work. In particular, volunteering is the basis of operation for firemen's societies, societies of retired people, friends of youth societies, mountaineering and sports societies, the Red Cross, Caritas, self-help organisations and numerous other humanitarian, cultural and sports organisations. Voluntary work in youth organisations also has to be emphasised as the number of young volunteers is increasing constantly as well as the new forms of voluntary work for young people are being developed. Beside, youth organisations, their existence and programs, depend to a great extent on a voluntary work.

Voluntary activities are deeply rooted in our society, in particular, they are most often used in solving the most difficult social problems and unveiling the difficulties of individuals and groups where state institutions have not yet been involved, or have ceased to be. Voluntary work is predominantly carried out in non-governmental organisations, such as societies, private institutions, foundations, but also in some public institutions (health, social security, education). Some organisations cover a wide range of voluntary work, such as training and providing volunteers both in the country and abroad. Voluntary work is mostly carried out in the social, sports, recreational, educational, health, cultural, environmental and tourist areas. There is also a special voluntary organisation that carries out relief operations during crisis situations. In Slovenia, a large number of experts is involved in voluntary work, and their professional work results in an important contribution to the literature available in this field. Recent educational reform has given voluntary work an important place in the educational process of the school-age youth – in elementary schools in the form of optional activities and in secondary schools as optional compulsory activities within the programme of elective subjects.

Slovenia is slowly embracing the European concept of organized volunteering, which demands a higher level of responsibility on the part of the organizer. Organizers must provide training and offer reflections based upon the experiences they gained through voluntary work that would then enable volunteers’ personal growth.

An important element of volunteering is also the relation between voluntary activities and the state. Establishing a partnership with the voluntary sphere should be in the interest of the state. In Slovenia there are more and more non-governmental voluntary organisations that operate with the financial aid of the state, but the fact is that the state expects to get a larger return than what it has actually invested. A step forward towards a more consistent assistance was made by the Ministry of Work, Family and Social Affairs. In its tenders it actually includes in eligible costs a minimal share of costs incurred by the Slovenian Office for youth, which lists voluntary activities of young people among the priority programmes it co-finances.

Certainly, in order for the civil society to carry out various socially-oriented initiatives, people must be willing to engage in voluntary work that would benefit others and the community. Such readiness is largely present in Slovenia. More and more people are joining various organized voluntary activities because they see the possibility of doing something that will change the way society operates. They can point to problems and find other ways of advocacy that would raise public awareness, therefore exercising pressure upon decision-makers, to create new social models of prevention and assistance within civil society. Unfortunately, organisations that engage in voluntary work are scattered, do not congregate and, worse, compete in their "daily struggle for survival". Actually, the Slovenian network of voluntary organizations listed on is the largest operative network of different organisations in Slovenia! Organisations actually try to congregate, but remain in competition.

Unfortunately, the social sphere is not keen on supporting voluntary work. With its system of values favouring individualism, antagonism, success, and material wealth, is not well disposed towards an individual for whom volunteering has a deeper value. The time we live in demands that an individual’s contribution in either time or commitment be expressed in money or other personal benefit.

In spite of the fact that numerous national programmes make it clear that the state already extensively depends on volunteers, voluntary work has not yet been comprehensively defined, nor has the basic framework of volunteer’s rights and status under the social security scheme been defined. The state should encourage the development of voluntary work through tax benefits and other mechanisms. The need for the statutory regulation of voluntary work has been reiterated for quite some time. In 1996 the Office for youth, in cooperation with some non-government organisations, prepared theses for a law on voluntary work (law on organisation and provision of voluntary work). The law was prepared before the adoption of the EuropeanConventionon the Promotion of a Trans-national Long-Term VoluntaryService for Young People, and focused on long-term voluntary work, conditions and framework, and the status of organisations that would provide voluntary service, and conditions for carrying out such voluntary work. The foundation for the law on voluntary work was consequently prepared on the basis of a comparative legal analysis and proposals made by volunteering organisations. The proposal was prepared and proposed for adoption in 2004, but has since been waiting at the Ministry of Work, Family and Social Affairs.

Voluntary activities of young people

Slovenia has yet to carry out research that would cover both the different characteristics of voluntary work and volunteers in various areas of social life. Furthermore, no one is systematically collecting data on volunteers or the possibilities for volunteering, nor is there a legal basis that would make the existence of volunteers legal. In addition, the organisation of voluntary activities, their financing and development are not systematically regulated, but are left to the knowledge and resourcefulness of individuals and independent organisations working in this field. In 2005 the Slovenian Office for youth granted financial assistance to a research project that was carried out by researchers at the Pedagogical Institute[1]. This project is the first step towards understanding the complex issue of volunteering and why it remains vaguely defined in Slovenia. The project was carried out in cooperation with two non-governmental organisations that engage themselves in raising awareness toward the importance of voluntary work in Slovenia, and in activities aimed at adequately spreading this form of work in non-governmental organisations and public institutions. It also aims at facilitating adequate education and training of voluntary work organizers, in addition to its promotion. The research resulted in a collection of data describing the scope of voluntary activities of young people and the way in which voluntary work is presently organized and carried out in various organisations in Slovenia. Further, researchers collected data on obstacles that organisations are confronted with when integrating young people into voluntary work. The main goal of the research was to gain an insight into the characteristics of voluntary activities of young people, on the basis of which it would be possible to plan adequate forms of support to voluntary work development and prepare guidelines to encourage voluntary activities among young people.<0}

The research was also one of the measures carried out to attain the objectives of the White Papera New Impetus for European Youth and was, as such, an important source of information for the preparation of this report.

Organizations that responded to the invitation to participate in the research were mostly centres for social work and counselling, youth organizations (youth centres, councils, societies,) and nursing homes for the elderly. The participation of students’ clubs and organizations for assistance to persons with special needs was considerable. We believe that the organizations that participated in the survey do not provide an overall picture of voluntary work in Slovenia. A pattern was devised in order to get, as much as possible, a true picture of the actual situation. Variation is slightly increased because there was a choice to participate in the survey. On the basis of the data provided by participating organizations, it is therefore impossible to draw conclusions as to the amount of different areas of social life where voluntary activities are being carried out or as to the ratio between these amounts. For the same reason, any generalizations regarding the coverage of target groups in which voluntary work is focused on or for which it is intended, are not very reliable. Nevertheless, data gathered from organizations in the pattern make for a representative picture of the characteristics involved in setting up voluntary activities and the problems encountered in doing so.

There are great differences between organisations in regards to the number of volunteers, and also in regards to volunteers’ age. Volunteers of most organisations are aged between 19 and 30 and they are often secondary school students, aged 15 to 18. Adult volunteers over 30 years of age are rarer, and particularly rare are those over 64. Most organisations include one, two, three or seven secondary school students – volunteers, often up to ten. Volunteers aged 19 to 24 are included in most organisations individually or in pairs, often also in groups of up to ten. In most organisations there are one to five volunteers aged 25 to 30.

Data on volunteers' education are also deficient, as they have been collected in less than two- thirds of organisations. As far as educational status is concerned, differences between individual organisations are also consistent. Most volunteers have completed secondary school or higher education, elementary school or post graduate education is rare. Societies have a larger number of highly educated volunteers and volunteers with post graduate degrees than public institutions.

Important differences in the number of volunteers between individual organisations are evident also regarding volunteers’ jobs. In most cases, volunteers are university or secondary school students or employed persons. There are few unemployed or retired persons. More secondary school students participate in voluntary work within public institutions rather than societies.

In more than three-fourths of organisations, volunteers help carry out projects. In less than half, they carry out their own projects, and in less than one-tenth of organisations, volunteers do the same work as the regularly employed.

Among organisations that participated in the survey, approximately one-sixth is included in the programme of European Voluntary Service (EVS). 2.2% participate in the programme as host organization, while 5% are also sponsoring organisations. In 2004 individual organisations hosted one, two or three volunteers, in most cases two. In the same year, individual organisations sent abroad one, two or four young people from Slovenia.

Section 1: Actions taken to attain common objectives for voluntary activities

Objective 1: Encourage the development of voluntary activities of young people with the aim of enhancing awareness of the existing possibilities, enlarging their scope and improving their quality.

Which existing models of voluntary activities and voluntary organizations can be identified in the MemberState?

Voluntary activities of young people in youth and non-governmental organisations

In 2005 19,069 societies, 149 foundations, 449 private institutions, 645 church organisations, 22 non-profit cooperatives were registered in Slovenia. The largest number of non-governmental organizations operates in the field of sports and recreational activities and culture and art. The smallest number is in the field of social care. 88% of non-governmental organisations include volunteers, and most of these volunteers are included in religious organisations (96.1%) and in societies (89.2%), while institutions have the least volunteers. Volunteers are also included in public institutions, such as: social work centres, schools, hospitals, social institutions and residence halls for pupils.[2]

The very existence and operation of some organisations is mostly dependent on the voluntary work of people who bring in fresh energy, new initiatives, perspectives and new impetus in the programme that is being carried out and to people with whom they work.

The research carried out by the Pedagogical Instituteindicates that voluntary activities are in most cases carried out in the field of social care (two-thirds of organisations), social inclusion and free-time activities (more than half of all organisations). In one-third of the organisations, voluntary activities concern culture and art, and also in one-third they concern sports and recreational activities. Approximately one-fourth of organizations provide personal assistance, one-fifth are concerned with human rights and discrimination, prevention of violence and drug abuse, and health care. It is common practice for organisations to have volunteers simultaneously carry out activities in different fields.

Participation of young people in voluntary organisations[3]

The participating volunteers (approximately one-fourth) work in youth organisations (youth centres, councils, societies etc.), in social work and advisory centres, and in nursing homes for the elderly (approx. 15%). Approximately one-tenth participates in organisations that take care of people with special needs, or in students' clubs. About 5% of volunteers participate in other organisations (active in the fields of information and education, culture, humanitarian work, voluntary work, human rights) (see Table 1).

TABLE 1: Organisations of young volunteers participating in the research (N=367)

Type of organisation / (f) / share of volunteers (in %)
YOUTH CENTRES, SOCIETIES, CLUBS / 88 / 24,0
SOCIAL WORK AND ADVISORY CENTRES / 64 / 17,4
NURSING HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY / 55 / 15,0
ORGANISATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS / 39 / 10,6
STUDENTS' ORGANISATIONS, CLUBS / 36 / 9,8
ORGANISATIONS PROVIDING INFORMATION AND EDUCATION / 27 / 7,4
OTHER ORGANISATIONS / 20 / 5,4
CULTURAL SOCIETIES / 19 / 5,2
CATHOLIC ORGANISATIONS / 18 / 4,9
ORGANISATIONS PROVIDING VOLUNTARY WORK / 18 / 4,9
ORGANISATIONS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE, HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS / 18 / 4,9
HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS / 14 / 3,8
POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS / 11 / 3,0
HOSPITALS / 9 / 2,5
ORGANISATIONS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES / 9 / 2,5
SELF-HELP ORGANISATIONS FOR PERSONS WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS / 9 / 2,5
HELP LINES FOR PEOPLE IN DISTRESS / 8 / 2,2
SCHOOLS / 6 / 1,6
SCOUTS / 6 / 1,6
NOT INCLUDED IN AN ORGANISATION / 6 / 1,6
ORGANISATION PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO DRUG ADDICTS / 5 / 1,4
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ANIMAL PROTECTION ORGANISATIONS / 4 / 1,1
FIREMEN'S ORGANISATIONS / 3 / 0,8
RESIDENCE HALLS FOR PUPILS / 1 / 0,3

Voluntary work programmes co-financed by the Office of the Republic of Sloveniafor Youth

The Office for youth encourages and supports voluntary activity development by co-financing voluntary work programmes. Each year the Office launches a public call for voluntary activities of young people as one of the preferred areas of youth work. Eligible programmes must cover:

• Carrying out and encouraging voluntary activities of young people.
• Education and training in providing voluntary services.
• Exchange of volunteers.

Most programmes focus on the provision of assistance and deepening of mutual support. Consequently, programmes include the adequate prior training and education of volunteers. Young volunteers provide personal homework and study help to children, their peers, members of ethnic groups (the Roma), assist individuals and groups of people with special needs (people with intellectual or other disabilities, aliens, refugees etc.), help young people in correction homes integrate and socialize, help drug and alcohol addicts during treatment, or help other underprivileged groups integrate into the community and to emerge from desperate situations. They do this by tending to their needs, guiding their interests, enhancing their social competences, minimizing their social exclusion, supporting their positive self-image etc., or simply by socializing. Sometimes they collaborate with children's and teenagers' parents and professional services to coordinate and complement various ways of assistance.

In public institutes, such as nursing homes for the elderly, institutions for children and teenagers with special needs, hospitals, prisons etc. they prepare occasional cultural events and evening entertainment. In elementary and secondary schools, they carry out prevention activities. Young volunteers help with the organisation and carrying out of various leisure activities for young people (excursions, summer camps, workshops). They organise campaigns to prepare facilities for youth activities, school premises, carry out cleaning campaigns during excursions and landscape green urban areas, participate in rural revitalization programmes including preservation and rehabilitation of architectural and ethnological heritage, nature protection and improvement of living conditions of villagers.

In international, summer, and peer camps, volunteers build leisure facilities for children and teenagers, provide support to persons with special needs through various activities aimed at quality use of free time, and teach participants social skills. Camps are often organized to assist people in their every day activities (shepherds on mountain pastures, inhabitants of remote mountain villages, salt harvesters in salt fields etc.). In doing so, volunteers get acquainted with problems inherent to a specific activity and environment.

Through volunteering young people also participate in peace movements and cultural activities.

Voluntary activities in elementary and secondary schools

School reform and the setting up of a national school network provided for adequate room for voluntary activities within the Slovenian school system. For some time now the system has been offering professional and financial assistance for voluntary activities. Volunteering is an important form of education for young people, as it offers them the opportunity for multi-faceted personal growth and thus a good preparation for life.The school reform established the national network of voluntary activities in schools, and some important steps have been made to set up solutions.

Curriculum reform has given voluntary work an important place in the form of optional activities - in general secondary schools as compulsory subjects and in vocational schools as optional compulsory activity. Volunteering is also an optional activity in elementary schools. The introduction and development of voluntary activities in elementary and secondary schools has been done under the auspices of the National Education Institute. In the first years of the reform the Institute paid for counsellors that developed voluntary activities in schools, trained mentors and carried out the project "OpenSchool", under which schools could obtain financial assistance from the Ministry of Education and Sports. The non-governmental organisation Slovene Philanthropy, Association for the Promotion of Voluntary Work, continues to provide schools with professional assistance for training volunteers under the national network.