Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT SLOVENIA

1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 5 5.1 5.2 6 7 7.1 7.2

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT ................................................ 2 Tradition and contextual background............................................................................................. 2 Definitions ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Number and profile of volunteers in sport ......................................................................................3 Number and types of sport organisations engaging volunteers..................................................... 4 Main voluntary activities ................................................................................................................. 5 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT ............................................. 6 Main public bodies and other organisations involved in volunteering in sport............................... 6 Policies ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Programmes................................................................................................................................... 6 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT ............................................... 7 General legal framework ................................................................................................................ 7 Legal framework for individual volunteers in sport......................................................................... 7 Legal framework for sport organisations engaging volunteers ...................................................... 7 ECONOMIC DIMENSION OF VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT ........................................................... 8 Public financing of volunteering in sport ........................................................................................ 8 Other support schemes and benefits .............................................................................................8 Private financing and support schemes ......................................................................................... 8 Specific issues: state aid, public service and general interest....................................................... 9 Economic value of volunteering in sport ........................................................................................9 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIMENSION OF VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT.................................... 9 Key benefits of volunteering for sport volunteers, the community and direct beneficiaries........... 9 Factors that motivate individuals to volunteer in sport................................................................... 9 EU POLICIES AND VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT.........................................................................10 MAIN OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT .....................10 Main challenges ...........................................................................................................................10 Main opportunities........................................................................................................................11

SOURCES.............................................................................................................................................13

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

1
1.1

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT

Tradition and contextual background The tradition of volunteering in sport in Slovenia is more than 200 years old; dating back to the 19th century when the first Slovene sports association, the Southern Falcon (Juni sokol), was founded in 1862. This marked the beginning of civil sport organisations in the country and numerous other societies have been formed over the past two centuries: in particular, between 1872 and 1920, mountaineers, cyclists and students joined the Slovene Falcon League (Slovenska sokolska zveza), which brought together more than 100 societies. The first professional sports leagues were formed during the years between the First and the Second World Wars and a Slovene sub-committee of the Yugoslav Olympic Committee was briefly established. After the Second World War, the Physical Culture Association (Fizkulturna zveza) was set up, which later became the Sports Association of Slovenia (portna zveza Slovenije). A system to support volunteering in sport, developed under the communist regime, marks a significant development in the history of sport in Slovenia. During the 1970s and 1980s special physical culture associations were established, which were responsible for financing sport activities. At the time, more than 200 gymnasiums were built, as well as a number of other sports facilities. Following the collapse of the communist regime, the Slovene Olympic Committee was founded in 1991 and officially recognised a year later by the International Olympic Committee1. Today, sport clubs and civil sport organisations form the majority of the sport organisations that have been established in Slovenia2.

1.2

Definitions There is no officially recognised definition of volunteering in Slovenia. However, a working description of volunteerism, as applied by the Olympic Committee, refers to voluntary work as 'a system of inspiration, possibilities, capabilities, good will and challenges of being able to give a hand.' A report by Cuk (2003) for the 140th anniversary of the sport society Narodni dom, defines voluntary work as voluntary activity which is not paid or for which the volunteer receives the reimbursements for expenses3.

Government Communication Office. Sport in Slovenia. Available from Internet: http://www.ukom.gov.si/en/news/events/major_events/slovenia_on_euro_2000/sport_in_slovenia/ 2 In contrast to a private company or state organisation, a civil sport organisation refers to an association of people who have interest in specific activity and perform their work voluntarily. 3 uk, I. (2003) V pesti sila, v srcu odlonost, v mislih domovina: 140 let portnega drutva Narodni dom v sliki in besedi: 1863-2003 (Report at the 140th anniversary of the sport society Narodni dom). Ljubljana: portno drutvo Narodni dom. 2

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

1.3

Number and profile of volunteers in sport The Ministry of Education and Sport estimates that over 100,000 volunteers are active in Slovenian non-governmental sport organisations4. Trends Although no systematic studies have yet been carried out, which monitor the number of volunteers on an annual basis; there is a general impression among stakeholders that their number is decreasing. Even though the number of sport organisations is growing, it appears that less and less people are willing to support them through voluntary engagement. This trend is attributed by some to changing values in social and political circles, which has resulted in a growing conviction that sport-related activities should be professional and lead to increasing financial gain. Volume of voluntary work According to the Ministry of Education and Sport, voluntary work represents more than 40% of the total work of non-governmental sports organisations5. Research suggests that on average voluntary workers in the sport sector dedicate 4 to 5 hours per week to voluntary activities. Age According to the Ministry of Education and Sport, most volunteers are aged between 19 and 30 years. Volunteers who carry out organisational and leadership are generally older member of the population (age group from 45 to 64), whereas those organising sport activities tend to be younger (usually aged from 16 to 34 years). Gender There is no data available on the number of volunteers in sport by gender. Level of education Estimates suggest that the majority of volunteers are low-skilled (70%). However, volunteers in charge of leading sport organisations are usually highly skilled (around 10 %) and the remaining 20% of voluntary workers have medium-level skills. Socio-professional status The majority of volunteers are employed (80%) and take part in voluntary activities in the sport sector during their free-time. The remaining volunteers are split evenly between retired individuals (10%) and students (10%).

Starek, S. (2007) Predstavitev Bele knjige o portu, Press conference, Ministry of Education and Sport in Slovenia, Sport Department, 18. December 2007. Available from Internet: https://www.mss.gov.si/fileadmin/mss.gov.si/pageuploads/novice/ppt/gradivo_tiskovka_Bela_knjiga _sport_18_12_07.ppt 5 Starek, S. (2007) Predstavitev Bele knjige o portu, Press conference, Ministry of Education and Sport in Slovenia, Sport Department, 18. December 2007. Available from Internet: https://www.mss.gov.si/fileadmin/mss.gov.si/pageuploads/novice/ppt/gradivo_tiskovka_Bela_knjiga _sport_18_12_07.ppt 3

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

1.4

Number and types of sport organisations engaging volunteers The organisation of sport activities in Slovenia is based on the activities of sports associations, societies and clubs, which can function freely according to the principle of the freedom of association6. A key feature of the Slovenian sport sector is the high proportion of voluntary work in non-governmental sport organisations around 70% of athletic organisations are mostly made up of volunteers. According to the Ministry of Education and Sport, there are 94 national sports federations, 88 local sports federations, and 5,037 sports associations in existence in Slovenia. In addition, there are 7,232 non-profit sport organisations in Slovenia, which are principally run by non-professional and amateur workers. The average sport organisation in Slovenia is made up of 190 members and 20 workers7. Voluntary work is most common among small and medium-sized sport clubs, which cater to both individual and collective sports. There are also more than 7,200 registered sports clubs in Slovenia, which can be grouped into three major types: organisers of a large sporting event; large organisers of practice for competitive sport; small organisers of practice for competitive and non-competitive sport.

The majority of sport clubs depend heavily on the participation of volunteers to help organise and support their activities. Table 1: Sport structures in Slovenia

Source: Ministry of Education and Sport in Slovenia, 2008.

Government Communication Office. Sport in Slovenia. Available from Internet: http://www.ukom.gov.si/en/news/events/major_events/slovenia_on_euro_2000/sport_in_slovenia/ 7 Jurak, G. (2008). 4

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

Share of volunteers and paid staff in the sport sector The Ministry of Education and Sport indicates that around 80% of all workers in the sport sector are volunteers8. This is in line with Jurak (2008), who states that the average sport organisation in Slovenia is made up of 82.5% of voluntary workers and only 2.3% of fully employed individuals9. In addition the total work per week of the average sport organisation equates to 52 hours, of which 65.8% is voluntary work. Furthermore, the majority of sport organisations employ five or less individuals (91%). Only 6% employ over 10 individuals, with the remaining 3% employing between six and ten individuals10.

1.5

Main voluntary activities Level of volunteering in different sport segments No information available. Level of volunteering in different sport disciplines The most popular sport disciplines among voluntary workers are football, followed by mountaineering and basketball. Type of activities carried out by volunteers Volunteers in Slovenia can be divided into three groups: those who carry out organisational activities and lead the organisations (around 20% of all volunteers in sport); experts working in sport clubs as group leaders (around 50% of all volunteers in sport); and those who help organise sport activities (around 30% of all volunteers in sport).

The most common task carried out by volunteers is usually the organisation and/or coordination of sport activities, such as helping to organise sport events (amateur and professional) and administrative and marketing support.

Starek, S. (2007) Predstavitev Bele knjige o portu, Press conference, Ministry of Education and Sport in Slovenia, Sport Department, 18. December 2007. Available from Internet: https://www.mss.gov.si/fileadmin/mss.gov.si/pageuploads/novice/ppt/gradivo_tiskovka_Bela_knjiga _sport_18_12_07.ppt 9 Jurak, G. (2008). 10 Pavleti, P. S. (2008) Management of volunteering in sports. Master thesis, University of Ljubljana. The data was obtained by use of an online questionnaire processed by quantitative analysis with the statistical package for data analysis, SPSS. Due to the poor response rate of Slovenian sports organisations in the interviews, the survey included all of the 1200 Slovenian sports organisations, of which 129 were national sectoral, inter-municipal and local sports associations and 1071 were sport clubs that are included in the comprehensive database of Slovenian sport organizations, managed by the Information system Sports Center. 5

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

2
2.1

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT

Main public bodies and other organisations involved in volunteering in sport In Slovenia, there is no public body directly responsible for volunteering in sport. The main player in sport at national level is the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, which was set up in 1991 when Slovenia gained independence. The Council of Sports Experts acts as a consultative body for action by the institutions responsible at governmental and non-governmental level. The organisation, tasks and activities of the institutions set up by the Government and financed from the state budget are specified in Slovenias Law on Sport. Another semi-state body is the Slovenian Sports Office, which was set up in May 1995 by the Ministry of Education and Sport and the OCS-ASF. The Sports Office is responsible for gathering all information on sport from the various areas, in particular sport for children and young people, and for making this information accessible to interested parties. In the non-governmental sector, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia (OCS) and the Association of Sports Federations (ASF) are Slovenias top sports self-administration bodies. Although these two organisations initially worked separately, they joined forces in 1994 to become the OCS-ASF and have since represented the majority of organised sport in Slovenia. In accordance with the umbrella organisations tasks, the OCS-ASF represents the interests of its members, comprising National Sports Federations and Communal Sports Federations at national and international level and promotes the Olympic idea11.

2.2

Policies As volunteering in sport is not considered to be a priority on the political agenda, Slovenia has not yet developed any national programmes for voluntary service. In addition, there is no state initiated strategy in place targeting volunteering sport. Only the Ministry of Education and Sports National report on the implementation of common objectives for the voluntary activities of young people makes reference to volunteering; specifically that, voluntary work is also stated as one of the means of financing the sports and national programme12.

2.3

Programmes The National Sports Programme has outlined short-term, mid-term and long-term goals for the development of sport. It also determined that sports activities are in the public interest and listed the prerequisites for sport organisations to apply for the status of an organisation functioning in public interest in the field of sports: founders and members should not be legal persons of public law; activity of public interest defined in its charter;

Sport in Europe: Slovenia. Available from Internet: http://www.sport-ineurope.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id =40&Itemid=130 12 Ministry of Education and Sport (2008) National report on the implementation of common objectives for the voluntary activities of young people. 6

11

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

have been in operation for at least two years; and realising purposes and objectives that are of public interest;

In addition, the OCS-ASF has appointed a working group for the area of volunteering in sport organisations. The main aim of the group is to inform Slovenian sports organisations about the potential of organised voluntary work, as opposed to the current use of ad hoc or improvised voluntary engagement. In 2007, the Committee in Slovenia implemented a pilot project, Voluntary work in sport organisations, which aimed to provide tools to facilitate the evaluation of voluntary work in sport clubs (such as monitoring the type, duration and value of voluntary work). The Committee provided clubs with information on how they can mentor volunteers and measure their work. However, as voluntary work in Slovenian sports organisations is very popular, the organisations do not see the need to implement more strategic approaches towards volunteering13.

3
3.1

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT

General legal framework There is no law in Slovenia that regulates the functioning of volunteerism (general or sport sector specific).

3.2

Legal framework for individual volunteers in sport No specific legal provisions applying to volunteers in sport.

3.3

Legal framework for sport organisations engaging volunteers Currently, three main legal acts address this issue separately and indirectly: Law on Sport (1998) The Law on Sport regulates the competencies of the individual sports-related institutions and the way in which they co-operate with each other. It also contains provisions governing the general framework for sporting activity. Associations Act (2006) Since an association is one of the most popular forms of organisation in the Slovenian sport sector, the Associations Act is the main legal document that lays down the criteria that regulates which organisations qualify as sport NGOs. These include: autonomous and not-profit unions with no purpose of gaining a profit; shall not distribute any surplus income among the members; responsible persons of the association shall, with all their assets, also carry solidarity liability for the obligations of the association;

13

Pavleti, P. S. (2008) Management of volunteering in sports. Master thesis, University of Ljubljana. 7

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

founded by at least three natural persons of contractual capacity or by legal persons; association assets: from memberships, gifts and legacies, donations, public funding, by performing the activities of the association and from other sources, its real estate and movable property; reimbursement of expenses of voluntary leaders related to associations objectives is not taxed; no distribution of assets between members surplus used to achieve the purpose and objectives of the association; may perform a lucrative activity solely for the performance of non lucrative activity; any remaining surplus between revenue and expenditure is taxed at 25 % rate; any revenue exceeding EUR 834.000 must be audited treated as a company.

Law on Income Tax At the moment, taxation rules in Slovenia are perceived as problematic for the functioning of voluntary sport organisations. As taxes paid by private companies are lower than those collected from associations, there is a trend among sport clubs to set up companies in order to be eligible for more favourable taxation rules.

4
4.1

ECONOMIC DIMENSION OF VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT

Public financing of volunteering in sport The main source of funding for sport associations is from gambling and lotteries. Currently public financial assistance represents 19% of all the money allocated to the Slovenian sport sector. In general, state financial support for non-profit sports organisations appears to be stable. It is important to note however, that the budget of the Republic of Slovenia for the year 2008 envisaged an 11 % increase in funds for the area of sport for children and young people.

4.2

Other support schemes and benefits N/A.

4.3

Private financing and support schemes In general, 59% of all the money allocated to the sport sector comes from donations and sponsoring.

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

Jurak (2008) indicates that the average sport organisation receives an annual income of EUR 41,670 with an average annual income per member of the organisation of EUR 41714. 4.4 Specific issues: state aid, public service and general interest Non-governmental sport organisations are more likely to receive state support than NGOs in other fields of activity, as the selection criteria favour organisations that involve high numbers of volunteers (Law on Foundations). However, the extensive bureaucracy linked to the application for state financial assistance, means that professional organisations are more likely to be awarded grants. It is interesting to note that, according to Jurak (2008), the average annual amount of expenses per volunteer is EUR 176. The share of annual amount of expenses for all volunteers equates to 10.3 % of the total annual income of the organisation15. 4.5 Economic value of volunteering in sport The Slovenian Ministry of Education and Sport estimates that voluntary work represents around 4.4 % of the economic power of the sport sector, which in turn represents 0.102 % of GDP16. In addition, it is estimated that voluntary services account for 15% of the income of sport organisations.

5
5.1

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIMENSION OF VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT

Key benefits of volunteering for sport volunteers, the community and direct beneficiaries Stakeholders have identified a number of benefits of volunteering in sport that contribute to improving the quality of life of Slovenian society: volunteering in sports enhances social solidarity and promotes active involvement in the community; it raises peoples self-esteem and makes them feel good about themselves as they have helped other people and have contributed to the betterment of society; volunteering promotes altruism and a healthier society; and it is one of the basic pathways of response to the needs of civil society and creates opportunities for the active functioning of individuals in society.

5.2

Factors that motivate individuals to volunteer in sport At the level of the individual, there are many factors which motivate volunteers to take part in the activities of sport organisations. The most commonly identified factors are17: personal growth;

Jurak, G. (2008) Jurak, G. (2008). 16 Presentation by prof. Zoran Verovnik, Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sport in Slovenia, at the conference on ' The role of sport in society . The importance of sports clubs, 1-2 September 2008, Warsaw. 17 Pavleti, P. S. (2008) Management of volunteering in sports. Master thesis, University of Ljubljana.
15

14

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

building own system of values; a sense of usefulness; being together with other like-minded individuals; getting to know new people; accumulation of experience; proactively spending ones leisure time; testing oneself; the opportunity to acquire new skills; and reputation.

EU POLICIES AND VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT

It is expected that implementation of the Lisbon Treaty may have an impact on the sport sector and therefore also on volunteering in sport in Slovenia. At the moment, however, no particular influence coming from the EU programme can be observed.

MAIN OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT

Main challenges The main challenges for volunteering in sport in Slovenia were identified by stakeholders as: the poor record-keeping of voluntary work; poor human resource management of volunteers; poor recruiting systems for volunteers; no economic reward for voluntary work18; and the unfavourable Law on Income Tax for non-profit organizations.

7.1

Another significant challenge is the limited financial resources of sport organisations that depend mainly on voluntary work. This problem can be seen when looking at the sport pyramid structure. Currently the lowest level of the pyramid is represented by volunteers in sport clubs (80%), whilst the top level is made up of highly professional sport organisations. In contrast, the pyramid structure of financial assistance is completely different - almost all funding goes to the highly professional sport environment, whilst the lower levels receive
18

Starc, G. Volunteerism in the Slovenian Sport Organisations and its Perspectives. University of Ljubljana & Slovenian Olympic Committee. 10

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

much lower levels of funding. As such, the system is evolving toward professional sport rather than voluntary sport activities. In the long term, it is possible that this will impact negatively on the development of sport and hinder the development of an active society.

Figure 1: Relationship between funding and organisational structure

In addition, there is evidence that volunteering in sport is mainly undertaken by sport workers (former athletes, coaches, etc) who are not appropriately trained for the type of work they are doing. It appears that sport organisations are adopting a nothing to lose approach when taking on volunteers even if they are not properly trained and not familiar with the specifics of their work and the organisations as a whole19. 7.2 Main opportunities Volunteering in sport is seen as one of the most promising areas of the future. The dominating opinion among stakeholders is that, voluntary work is commonly utilised in all sports clubs, associations, federations, organisations and without it the current level of development of sport sector would not be possible. One of the main opportunities for the further development of volunteerism in Slovenia is the general enthusiasm for sport activities among Slovenian society. Research has shown that, every third Slovene regularly takes part in active leisure pursuits and that there are nearly 400,000 registered members of sport societies. A number of voluntary sport organisations are also eager to improve the situation of volunteers and have indicated that they are willing to implement good practice examples from other countries. The pilot programme, voluntary work in sport organisations20 is an important step forward and should add to the recognition of voluntary work. Paradoxically, the difficult financial situation of some organisations may also help to contribute to the popularity of volunteerism as a cheaper way of furthering their development and achieving added value, as well as new quality21.
19 20

Pavleti, P. S. (2008) Management of volunteering in sports. Master thesis, University of Ljubljana. Introduced by the OCS-ASF. 21 Pavleti, P. S. (2008) Management of volunteering in sports. Master thesis, University of Ljubljana. 11

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

An analysis of relevant literature and comments by stakeholders have led to the identification of a number of recommendations of actions, which could be taken at EU and national level to improve the situation of volunteering in sport in Slovenia22: At EU level Supporting the system of values promoted by volunteering in sport.

At national level Implementing a centralised database of voluntary work in sport organisations to provide a better estimation of voluntary work and the basis for negotiation with government and state institutions of the benefits of voluntary work; Implementing a regulatory framework governing the operation of NGOs (also in the sport sector); Developing and implementing motivational programmes; Providing appropriate training for mentors and coordinators of voluntary work according to the specific sport field (professional profiles); Establishing a dialogue with the state to create a qualitative approach to institutionalise the credibility of voluntary work in Slovenia (including in the sport sector).

At both levels Actively promote volunteering and volunteering in sport through the media; Encourage the management levels of national sports associations, clubs and organisations to exploit the advantages and the possibilities of voluntary work in a more organized manner; Systemic evaluation of voluntary work in the sport sector.

Some recommendations are adapted from the following sources : Presentation by Gregor Starc on Volunteerism in the Slovenian Sport Organisations and its Perspectives, University of Ljubljana & Slovenian Olympic Committee; Pavleti, P. S. (2008) Management of volunteering in sports. Master thesis, University of Ljubljana. 12

22

Study on volunteering in the EU Volunteering in sport Slovenia

SOURCES

Interviews Sport for All Committee, Olympic Committee of Slovenia

Publications and presentations uk, I. (2003) V pesti sila, v srcu odlonost, v mislih domovina: 140 let portnega drutva Narodni dom v sliki in besedi: 1863-2003 (Report at the 140th anniversary of the sport society Narodni dom). Ljubljana: portno drutvo Narodni dom. Jurak, G. (2008) Pavleti, P. S. (2008) Management of volunteering in sports. Master thesis, University of Ljubljana. Presentation by prof. Zoran Verovnik, Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sport in Slovenia, at the conference on ' The role of sport in society . The importance of sports clubs, 1-2 September 2008, Warsaw. Starc, G. Volunteerism in the Slovenian Sport Organisations and its Perspectives. University of Ljubljana & Slovenian Olympic Committee. Starek, S. (2007) Predstavitev Bele knjige o portu, Press conference, Ministry of Educaiotn and Sport in Slovenia, Sport Department, 18. December 2007. https://www.mss.gov.si/fileadmin/mss.gov.si/pageuploads/novice/ppt/gradivo_tiskovk a_Bela_knjiga _sport_18_12_07.ppt

Websites Government Communication Office. Sport in Slovenia. http://www.ukom.gov.si/en/news/events/major_events/slovenia_on_euro_2000/sport_ in_slovenia/ Sport in Europe: Slovenia. http://www.sport-ineurope.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id =40&Itemid=130

13