Charting the landscape of European youth voluntary activities

What sort of young people participate in volunteer activities in Europe and what effect does their participation have in terms of citizenship, civil society and the labour market? What sort of young people do not volunteer and why not? Can youth policies facilitate social inclusion through volunteering? The research papers included in this collection, first presented at a seminar in Budapest in July 2004 entitled 'How does the voluntary engagement of young people enhance their active citizenship and solidarity?' provides initial answers to these questions and more.

As part of the framework of the partnership agreement on youth research between the Council of Europe and the European Commission, the research seminar and this publication provide a starting point for developing future strategies for the implementation of policy on young people's voluntary activities. This collection is intended not only for researchers and policy makers, but also for practitioners involved with facilitating voluntary activities for young people and those with a general interest in non-formal learning.