A Social Report for Ireland Volume II - the NESC Website

older people 203Figure 8.27 Persons Aged 65 and over by Type of Voluntary Work, 2006% of Age Groupwho are Involvedin VoluntaryActivity605040302042513745100Religious Group /ChurchSocial / Charitable238SportingOrganisation138Political / Cultural23 23Other65+ Men 65+ WomenSource CSO Census of Population, 2006The SLÁN survey also asked people whether they regularly attended one ormore community activities, such as sports clubs, political parties, trade unions,environmental groups, parent-children associations, tenant groups, neighbourhoodsafety, religious or voluntary activities, evening classes and social clubs. Just underhalf (47 per cent) of respondents who were 65 years old and over reported regularlyattending one or more of these community activities. There was little differencein attendance between men and women but involvement in community activitieswas more common among the higher social classes (Morgan et al., 2008: 95).The SHARE survey also asked about participation in social activities. They foundolder people were most likely to be involved in religious activities – more thanone third of those aged 60 and over were engaged in such activities. For all otheractivities participation declined with age, for example, about one quarter of 60 to80 year olds participated in social/sports activities, compared to 11 per cent of over80s who did so, (Harmon et al., 2008: 31).The CSO (2009e) has recently reported on community involvement. They reportthat 35 per cent of 65-74 year olds and 23 per cent of 75 year olds and over wereactively involved in a voluntary or community group compared to 28 per cent of allpersons aged 15 and over. In relation to participation in group activities, 69 per centof 65 year olds and over participated in such activities compared to 65 per cent ofeveryone aged 15 and over. Some 23 per cent of 65 to 74 year olds participated ininformal unpaid charity work, in line with the general population aged 15 and overat 24 per cent. Over 75 year olds were less likely to participate in informal unpaidcharity work at 12 per cent.