Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1467437
NEWS 4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 11 MAY 2022 JAMES DEBONO ONLY 48% of Maltese young people have participated in voluntary organisations, sports clubs, cultural organisations, polit- ical movements and other NGOs, an EU- wide survey shows. According to the Eurobarometer sur- vey, participation in such organisations is only lower in Cyprus (47%) and Latvia (45%). In all but six countries (Cyprus, Hun- gary, Latvia, Malta, Poland and Slova- kia), a majority of young people have participated over the last 12 months in one or more organisation. The proportion having participated in these organisations in this timeframe ranges from 45% in Latvia and 47% in both Cyprus and Malta, to 66% in Bel- gium and 67% in Ireland. In most countries, lack of time was given as the main reason for not par- ticipating in a youth organisation or in youth activities. The share of respondents stating that they lack time was largest in Malta (50%) and Luxembourg (49%) and smallest in Slovakia (27%) and Romania (29%). In almost all member states including Malta, a sports club is the type of youth organisation young people are most likely to have participated in over the last 12 months. The share of young people having par- ticipated in a sports club over the last 12 months ranges from 15% in both Cyprus and Romania and 16% in Malta, to 35% in Belgium and 36% in the Netherlands. The proportion having participated in an organisation with volunteering ac- tivities ranges from 11% in Latvia and 12% in Sweden, to 24% in Romania. In Malta 15% of young people participated in volunteering activities. German young people were the most likely to participate in environmental and climate change activism (18%) and in human rights activism (14%). Mal- ta registers the lowest level of young people's participation in human rights organisations (5%) and a slightly higher participation in environmental activism (8%). At 8%, young people's participa- tion in political parties is equivalent to the European average. The survey held in February and March included 507 Maltese young people aged between 15 to 30 and was held between 22 February and 4 March 2022. 52% of Maltese young people shun activism Maltese young people third least likely in EU to participate in sports, voluntary, political and cultural organisations and are most likely to say they do not have time for it Sports club Youth leisure club Cultural organisation Political organisation Volunteering activities Environmental NGO Human rights/Global issues Others None 16 24 11 15 9 11 8 8 15 17 8 12 5 10 11 8 52 39 Malta EU 27 In the last 12 months, have you participated in any activities of the following organisations? For what reasons have you not taken part in these activities? I do not have the time I am not interested I have not thought about it I don't know how to do this I do not understand the issues Nobody has asked me to take part Other Don't know 50 39 28 25 11 23 6 10 8 9 24 22 13 6 3 1 Malta EU 27