Anthony M. Abela. 2001. Youth Participation in Voluntary Organisations in Malta, A comparative analysis of European Values Studies. Malta: Parliamentary Secretariat, Ministry of Education. 140 pp.

This book brings together three interrelated papers in youth studies.  It complements comparative data analyses of the European Values Study and a national youth survey, with an in-dept study of life histories of young Catholic adults.

•  The first chapter examines changing voluntary activities of young people over the past fifteen years in a comparative European perspective, in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, new lifestyles, shifts in values and solidarity towards people in need.
•  The second chapter is concerned with deviant behaviour and accounts for the unconventional lifestyles of young people with social problems.
•  The final chapter traces the similar origins but also the multiple destinations of young Catholics in contemporary Malta. On this basis, an international study of life histories discusses the emergence of new Catholic identities for the society of the future.

• There are significant differences over membership and voluntary work of young adults in old and new style organisations and activities. Membership and unpaid voluntary work in social organisations varies by gender, age, marital status, occupations, geographical regions and levels of education.
•  Younger respondents in Malta report lower rates of belonging but significantly higher rates of unpaid work in voluntary organisations than their European counterparts. In Malta, a higher percentage of younger respondents do unpaid work for youth projects, welfare, health, local community action, Third World development or human rights, women’s groups and peace movements than actually belong to the corresponding organisations.
•  In Malta, over a period of fifteen years, young people’s membership has increased considerably in trade unions, sports, health, local community action, Third World development and other groups but dropped in most other traditional organisations including church and religious associations, professional associations, cultural activities, youth work and political parties in particular. At the same time, there has been a significant expansion in unpaid voluntary work for most organisations, including religious and church groups, youth work, welfare, trade unions, Third World development and human rights, environmental and animal rights, sports, health, local community and other new groups.
•  Members of social organisations, voluntary workers in particular, are more likely to engage in politically activity than the average citizen. Generally, voluntary workers use democratic means to improve the institutions of society and do not undermine them by illegal behaviour. They are more likely to have confidence in social institutions and work towards their improvement. Voluntary workers and members of social organisations are more concerned for people in need than their non-involved counterparts. In the exercise of voluntary work, members maintain and develop a general trust in others.
•  Youth voluntary workers look more favourably towards co-operation foremost with the institutions of health care, education, the European Union, the United Nations and the Church, and to a lesser extent with the police, social security, NATO, employers, the present Government, local Councils and the judiciary. They look less favourably, however, on trade unions, the civil service, parliament and broadcasting. Irrespective of the differential confidence in social institutions, youth voluntary workers have greater trust in others than their non-involved counterparts. Trust remains the foundation for voluntary organisations even if its formalisation within institutions has the potential to undercut its resources.
•  Relative to their non-committed counterparts, youth voluntary workers show greater acceptance of the socially excluded, especially people with social problems. The activities of voluntary workers have the potential to militate against xenophobia and to contribute towards the better inclusion of minority groups in society.
•  In the present social conditions, it seems that younger people in Malta look more favourably to having hands-on experience on piecemeal short-term activities than to maintain long-term membership in voluntary organisations. The general trend is a shift from membership in formal and established organisations towards involvement in piecemeal voluntary activities.
•  Youth voluntary workers, those engaged in new style activities in particular, are more likely to have a post-traditional and a postmaterialist value orientation than their non-involved counterparts.
• In the same way, youth members of associations, voluntary workers in particular, are more likely to have a sense of European belonging than their non-involved counterparts.  They combine a predominantly local affinity with a global, foremost European, sense of belonging. In the final analysis, members of associations and voluntary workers are more likely to support membership in the European Union than their non-involved counterparts. Possibly, new style voluntary workers are pace setters for the advance of postmaterialism. They are in a position to work with new style local and international organisations in order to combat the social exclusion and discrimination of our times promoting the inclusion of minorities.
• The extent to which youth voluntary workers are successful to construct a European identity where minorities feel a sense of belonging has still to be established.

St James Cavalier, Valletta. 21st March 2001.