Civil society’s impact on quality of life

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to analyse the impact of three forms of involvement in organised civil society -as 'participant', as 'member' and as 'volunteer' -on self-assessed quality of life when checking for coherence between the three forms of participation. The article is inspired by both Lim and Putnam's claim that close social networks around meaningful and identity-bearing activities increase self-assessed quality of life and Stebbins' claim that life satisfaction is an essential byproduct of 'serious leisure'. This article utilises data from a digital survey study conducted among adult citizens in Denmark, which 2,514 citizens answered. The questionnaire contained a broad range of questions regarding participation in leisure activities, membership in associations, engagement in voluntary work, subjective life-satisfaction, self-assessed health and social background of the respondents. The statistical regression analysis shows a correlation between volunteering in general and self-assessed quality of life, but the correlation is relatively weak.However, the analysis does not show a significant correlation between quality of life and membership in an association and participation in 'serious leisure'. Of the other variables included, self-assessed health in particular contributes to explaining the variation in self-assessed quality of life.

Momentum lost or creating new constellations? Insights from an exercise-at-work project during the COVID-19 pandemic – a mixed methods approach

“…Reasons and barriers mentioned by employees in response to open-ended questions about stopping participation in activities after March 11 were related mainly to there being fewer activities available, or to periods of stop/standby in exercise/PA activities and Covid-19 related changes in working conditions. Broadly in line with tendencies shown in other studies ( Ibsen et al, 2021 ; Mutz and Gerke, 2021 ), Covid-19 seemed to increase polarisation by creating unequal opportunities for exercise during working hours among employee groups, with increased working constraints or cessation of activities for some. However, most respondents participating in the altered activities during Covid-19 restrictions were positive despite the change in format ( Table 3 , Figure 3 ) and several respondents stressed that keeping some activities going was an advantage: We have tried to keep certain activities, but because most of our colleagues have been sent home it has been very difficult to follow the plan and do the activities according to the plan.…”

“…Prior to the pandemic participation in PA, exercise and sport was high in Denmark compared to most other EU member states ( van Tuyckom et al, 2010 ), with gender equality in recent decades, but with differences between social classes. Covid-19 impact on PA levels among Danes showed broadly similar trends as those in Germany ( Mutz and Gerke, 2021 ), with some decrease in PA levels and increased polarization between the very active and the less active (or inactive), with seemingly no real gender differences, but with some age differences ( Ibsen et al, 2021 ). A Danish report show that around 6% of working adults are involved in company sport/exercise at the workplace or at a company sport club, and that company sport has the potential to recruit groups normally less likely to be active in sports in society ( Engell and Ibsen, 2021 ).…”

“…for inclusion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds ( Meir and Fletcher, 2019 ). Despite efforts to promote a ‘Sport for All’ perspective, inequalities related to age, ethnicity, (dis)ability, and social class are still reflected in sport and exercise participation ( Ibsen et al, 2022 ; Scheerder et al, 2018). Population studies reveal inequality in PA and sport participation according to socio-economic divisions, with lower levels of leisure-based PA among people with low income ( Lima et al, 2019 ) and shorter education ( Hoebel et al, 2017 ).…”

Corona-krisens betydning for livskvalitet

“…omfattede spørgsmål om Coronas betydning for det fysiske aktivitetsniveau, vurderede en lille andel af respondenterne, at deres fysiske aktivitetsniveau i fritiden var meget mindre end før Corona, og naesten lige så mange vurderede, at det fysiske aktivitetsniveau var meget større (Ibsen et al, 2021;Høyer-Kruse og Ibsen, 2021) For det femte tyder denne undersøgelse og andre undersøgelser i Danmark på, at nogle af de sider af hverdagslivet, som aendredes i foråret 2020, ikke har så stor betydning for livstilfredsheden, som man har antaget i den internationale litteratur. En undersøgelse af civilsamfundets og fritidslivets betydning for livstilfredsheden kan således ikke påvise, at medlemskab af foreninger og deltagelse i kultur-og idraets-og fritidsaktiviteter har signifikant betydning for livstilfredsheden, mens deltagelse i frivilligt arbejde har en forholdsvis lille betydning derfor (Ibsen, et al 2020). En logistisk regressionsanalyse af de data, som naervaerende artikel baseres på, viser, at det først og fremmest er helbredet og følelsen af at tilhøre et faellesskab, hvor man bor, der har betydning for den selvvurderede livstilfredshed.…”

The role of civil society in securing self-assessed quality of life in rural areas

“…For example, 'membership' in associations has a positive impact on self-reported quality of life (Cutler, 1976(Cutler, , 1982Helliwell, 2002;Haski-Leventhal, 2009;Wallace & Pichler, 2009;Eime et al, 2010). 'Volunteering' also has a positive impact on self-reported quality of life and happiness (Wheeler et al, 1998;Haski-Leventhal, 2009;Loga, 2010;Tiefenbach & Holdgrüns, 2015;Ibsen et al, 2021). Finally, several studies have shown a correlation between quality of life and 'participation' in cultural, leisure and sports activities, many of which take place in relation to civil society (Snyder et al, 2010;Brajša-Žganec, 2011;Downward & Rasciute, 2011;Gopinath et al, 2012;Becchetti et al, 2012;Young et al, 2013;Wheatley & Bickerton, 2017.…”