Need for Reforms in Upper Austrian Voluntary Work Organisations 2005

This study examines the organised volunteer charity work based on the survey of selected Upper Austrian organisations. It looks at their basic structure, the possible need of reform due to the change in society and the resulting suggestions for a strong, sustainable, organisational and institutional framework. Also inter-generational and gender aspects as well as the ratio of full-time workers and volunteers are included. The emphasis lay on organisations with a broad spectrum of voluntary involvement. The field of sport, lobbies and political parties as well as the broad spectrum of informal help were consciously left out since the latter has usually no organisational involvement. The emphasis of the study was on Upper Austrian umbrella organisations and associations with honorary sponsorship as well as full-time and honorary workers in the fields of culture, education, social policy and environment. The aim of the study was to determine the need of reform in voluntary organisations due to the change in society and to develop suggestions for a strong, sustainable, organisational and institutional framework.