Institute of Research and Information on Volunteering
Institute of Research and Information on Volunteering
Youth volunteering in Champagne-Ardenne : an asset for youngsters, a chance for associationsA pilot study was proposed and realised by the Institute for Research and Information on Volunteering (IRIV) in 1998 in Ile de France with the support of the Direction for Youth and Associative Life, Ministry for Youth and Sports. This study was completed in 2000 by two other regional studies : in Champagne Ardenne and in Midi Pyrénées, with the support of the Regional Directions for Youth and Sports (Direction régionale de la Jeunesse et des Sports de Champagne Ardenne).
A synthesis is integrated in the publication : Volunteering : a chance for youngsters in Europe.
The studies are focussed on two main goals : youth volunteering is changing and associations are ready to welcome more young volunteers. Determining the youngsters expectations and the associations needs would allow to promote , in France, some kind of national program for youth volunteering that doesn't exist yet.
Methodology
Two questionnaires were dispatched among youngsters and associations. The first one was dispatched among youngsters, aged 16 to 35 years, via a specific network for the information of youngsters ("Réseau information jeunesse"). 670 answers. The second questionnaire was sent to associations via City halls , Préfectures and the Regional Directions for Youth and Sports 207 answers in Champagne Ardenne.
Geographic area
Regional : 4 Departements selected : Ardennes, Aube, Marne et Haute-Marne.
In Champagne Ardenne, 53.2% of the youngsters interviewed were volunteers. The average young volunteer is : a girl in Champagne Ardenne. The main domains of involvement of youngsters are : Sport and leisure : ¾ of the answers ; Education-training-employment : 1/7 of the answers ; Humanitarian field :1/7 of the answers ; Culture : 1/5 of the answers. Youth volunteering, according to associations in Champagne Ardenne, is first limited by the academic cursus : youngsters are dependent on their planning. In Champagne Ardenne associations also underlined the lack of knowledge of the associations by youngsters. The main critics made to young volunteers by the associations are : the lack of availability (1/2 of the answers), the lack of skills (1/8 of the answers ), the lack of motivation (1/3 in Champagne Ardenne). Nevertheless more than 3/4 of the associations interviewed are ready to welcome more youngsters among them.
February -March 2000 : Contacts
April-May 2000 : Dispatchning of the questionnaires
June-July 2000 : Analysis of the questionnaires
September-October 2000 : first draft
November - Decembre 2000: Results integrated in the national study
January 2001 : Presentation of the results at the IAVE Conference in Amsterdam
Study realised for the Direction régionale de la Jeunesse et des Sports de Champagne Ardenne