engleski

Civic Involvement in the Knowledge Society - The Case of Volunteering in Primorsko-Goranska County (Croatia)

Various research studies describe volunteering as one of the strongest elements in developing and shaping democratic changes in every society. Furthermore, volunteering affects the economic development of a country. The authors of this paper deal with issues regarding the research of volunteering in Croatia. They also give an overview of the most important results of the only comparative research conducted in Croatia (in one of its counties) with the time distance of five years. The results show a slight increase of citizen engagement in volunteer activities. Low frequency of volunteering and negative attitudes of the younger population continue to represent key challenges for all the subjects involved in promoting and developing volunteering. The results confirm a need to further develop and improve volunteering in such a way that all the segments of society (the state, local and regional government, the media, civil society organizations, the business sector, educational institutions) have to continuously and simultaneously contribute to the development of volunteering in Croatia through activities in each of their domains on the following areas: acknowledging volunteer work, promoting and organizing volunteering, establishing networks and influencing public policy.

researching volunteer work, measuring volunteerism, attitudes towards volunteering, volunteering in Croatia

Rad - kao pozvano predavanje prezentiran na skupu International Symposium Knowledge Region : The Alps-Adriatiac Challenges, održanom od 28-29.09.2007., Klagenfurt, Austrija - evoluiralo je u novo istraživanje i objavljen u knjizi.