Answering this question is very difficult as it all depends on the country we are talking about. There are huge differences in volunteering rates in Europe. The highest percentage of volunteers can be found in Europe in the northern countries like Sweden and in the Anglo-Saxon countries like Great Britain where more than 50 % of the population is involved in volunteering activities. Countries in eastern and central Europe show to have a lower volunteering rate. Based on a Eurobarometer study from 2007 the average volunteering rate in Europe ( EU25) was over 34%. On if more women or men, or other demographic or social indicators seem to be dominant to explain volunteering activity is also all dependent of the country we are talking about. The amount of people involved in volunteering in a country is influenced by the countries historical and political past. To learn about the national differences in volunteering activities and the reasons for it is necessary to look into country reports on volunteering and to search national sources. Sources providing information on volunteering in the countries involved in the YourKite project (Norway, Romania and Poland) can be found of the YourKite project webpage www.yourkite.org
