Book chapter
Ideellt arbete och idrottsrörelsens utmaningar
2025Vamstad, J., von Essen, J., Lundberg, E., & Henrekson, E.I Norberg, J., Dartsch Nilsson, C., Wahlgren, L. & Pihlblad, J. (red.), Jag ställer upp! Om framtiden för ett ideellt idrottsengagemang under press. Centrum för idrottsforskning 2025:3
What is this study about?
The study examines the challenges facing voluntary work in Swedish sport and how changes in society and in the sports movement affect the conditions for people's engagement. The focus is not only on whether there are enough volunteers, but also on which groups participate, how the work is organized, and what demands and expectations face those who engage.
What did we find?
Voluntary work is a fundamental resource for Swedish sport, but what challenges does it face? The chapter identifies several changes that may affect the sports movement's ability to recruit and retain volunteers, including social inequality, professionalization, an aging population and changed notions of civic responsibility. The results show that the question is not only about how many people get engaged, but also who does the work and under what conditions.
Why does it matter?
The sports movement depends on voluntary contributions to run much of its activity. If the opportunities and willingness to take on voluntary assignments change, this therefore has consequences for the long-term sustainability of sports clubs. At the same time, the study shows that the challenge cannot be solved simply by trying to get more people to step up. Knowledge is also needed about how voluntary assignments are designed, how responsibility is distributed, and how organized sport can create forms of engagement that work for people with different resources and life situations.
Citation
Vamstad, J., von Essen, J., Lundberg, E., & Henrekson, E. (2025) Ideellt arbete och idrottsrörelsens utmaningar. I Norberg, J., Dartsch Nilsson, C., Wahlgren, L. & Pihlblad, J. (red.), Jag ställer upp! Om framtiden för ett ideellt idrottsengagemang under press. Centrum för idrottsforskning 2025:3 131–151
Research area
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