Around 12.5 million people volunteer in France on a regular basis or for special event. Involved in many fields such as sport, leisure, social services, health, education and culture and more recently humanitarian support or environment, they dedicate an average of five hours per week to their volunteering.
Taking into account the results of many studies, both national and abroad, this book aims at answering many questions. Who are the volunteers ? What are their motivations ? How could we define the voluntary work ? What is its economic impact ? what is the support provided by public authorities to this new form of altruism through associations ?
Volunteering us also faced to a kind of profesionalisation needed by the more and more complex environment of the associations (with a lot of regulations). This evoluation shouldn't lead to a loss in the spirit of volunteering and the pionneer role played by volunteers to defend altruism, solidarity and humanity.