Background
The Centre for Research on Civil Society and Voluntary Sector and affiliated researchers have mapped the extent and characteristics of voluntary effort in Norway from 1998 to 2023. These surveys are crucial for obtaining comparable high-quality data over time, and it is important to continue the time series to understand trends in the voluntary sector. The 2023 survey, the first conducted after the COVID-19 pandemic, showed a decline in the proportion of young male volunteers, and it is essential to clarify whether such trends are temporary or long-lasting. Furthermore, the project will investigate socioeconomic inequality in participation and parental volunteering, as well as the significance of civil society for democratic robustness in a time of pressure on democratic institutions and the spread of misinformation.
Project Approach
The project will collect population data on voluntary effort using various surveys. Firstly, the centre, in collaboration with Statistics Norway, will repeat the main survey on voluntary effort, which has been conducted intermittently since 1998 and most accurately estimates the levels of voluntary effort at the population level in Norway. This survey is planned for late 2028. Secondly, the centre will follow up on two time series with panel data on voluntary effort, conducted via web panels in recent years, enabling more detailed analyses of various aspects of voluntary effort in Norway. These will be conducted biennially, in 2025, 2027, and 2029. Lastly, the centre will analyse updated data on voluntary effort among immigrants in Norway, based on Statistics Norway's living conditions survey among immigrants (LKI), planned for 2026. This will provide new knowledge about the development of voluntary effort among immigrants and their descendants.
The project will investigate research questions related to the extent and composition of voluntary effort, changes in extent and trends among different types of voluntary organisations, socioeconomic inequality, motivation and barriers for parental volunteering, and how participation in voluntary work can help build networks, trust, and norms. It will also collect data on how societal trends and unforeseen events can affect voluntary effort, democratic participation, and trust over time.
The project will publish several reports covering topics such as changes in voluntary effort and community engagement more generally, civil society engagement online, and voluntary effort among immigrants.