Participation in social activities, 1997-2011

Table explanation

Description topics

Social contacts

With relatives

The data refer to persons aged 12 years or older.
Source: Integrated System of Social Surveys: basis.
Contact with relatives not living at home.

Once a week or more

Twice a month

Once a month

Less than once a month

Hardly ever

Evaluation personal situation

Happiness

The data refer to persons aged 12 years or older.
Source: Integrated System of Social Surveys: basis.
Answer to the question: Do you deem yourself a happy person?

Very happy

Happy

Not happy, not unhappy

Not very happy

Unhappy

Volunteer work

Due to a revision of the questionnaire in 2005, the data on volunteer
work are not available for 2005 and 2006. Since June 2007 the questions
on volunteer work have been added again in POLS (Continuous Survey on
Living Conditions). Although the questions are the same, the context of
the questions, the measuring period and the used weighting scheme are
different. For the percentage of volunteer workers this change did not
have considerable consequences. The percentage of persons giving
volunteer aid, however, is not comparable with earlier years.
The data refer to persons aged 18 years or older.
Source: POLS (Continuous Survey on Living Conditions): Recht en
Participatie (Justice and Participation; until 2005); POLS: BASIS
(General; from 2007).

Total participants volunteer work

Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older carrying out in one year
volunteer work for 1 or more organisations and/or that gives volunteer
aid.
Due to a revision of the questionnaire in 2005, the data on volunteer
work are not available for 2005 and 2006. Since June 2007 the questions
on volunteer work have been added again in POLS (Continuous Survey on
Living Conditions). Although the questions are the same, the context of
the questions, the measuring period and the used weighting scheme are
different. For the percentage of volunteer workers this change did not
have considerable consequences. The percentage of persons giving
volunteer aid, however, is not comparable with earlier years.

Organised volunteer work

Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older doing volunteer in one year
work for 1 or more organisations.

Religious denomination

Religion

Change August 8, 2008: In May 2004, the general synods of the Dutch
Reformed Church, the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches and the
Evangelical-Lutherian Church were fused into the Protestant Church of The
Netherlands ('Protestantse Kerk in Nederland', PKN). However, as the
survey-data of POLS indicate, the members of the original denominations
identify themselves only partially with the PKN. Therefor it is decided
to incorporate both the original denominations to which the people still
confess themselves and the new category PKN in the questionnaire and in
the Statline tables. As a consequence, from 2004 onwards the percentages
of members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed (Calvinist)
Churches as well as the devotees of 'other denominations' are not
comparable with the figures of former years.
From 2005 onwards, a new weighting scheme is used for the figures on
religion and worshipping. This new scheme results in a better
representation of in particular non-western immigrants in the response.
Because of this, a more realistic estimation of the division of religions
in the Netherlands is possible. The increase in the percentage of
devotees of other denominations in 2005 compared to 2004 is caused by the
change in weighting scheme and does not constitute a true increase in
following.
The data refer to persons aged 12 years or older.
Source: POLS (Continuous Survey on Living Conditions): BASIS (General).

No denomination

Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older not considering
himself/herself as a member of any denomination.

Roman Catholic

Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older considering himself/herself
as a member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Protestant Church of The Netherlands

Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older considering himself/herself
as a member of the Protestant Church of The Netherlands ('Protestantse
Kerk in Nederland', PKN).
Change August 8, 2008: In May 2004, the general synods of the Dutch
Reformed Church, the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches and the
Evangelical-Lutherian Church were fused into the Protestant Church of The
Netherlands ('Protestantse Kerk in Nederland', PKN). However, as the
survey-data of POLS indicate, the members of the original denominations
identify themselves only partially with the PKN. Therefor it is decided
to incorporate both the original denominations to which the people still
confess themselves and the new category PKN in the questionnaire and in
the Statline tables. As a consequence, from 2004 onwards the percentages
of members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed (Calvinist)
Churches as well as the devotees of 'other denominations' are not
comparable with the figures of former years.

Dutch Reformed

Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older that considers
himself/herself to be a member of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Change August 8, 2008: In May 2004, the general synods of the Dutch
Reformed Church, the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches and the
Evangelical-Lutherian Church were fused into the Protestant Church of The
Netherlands ('Protestantse Kerk in Nederland', PKN). However, as the
survey-data of POLS indicate, the members of the original denominations
identify themselves only partially with the PKN. Therefor it is decided
to incorporate both the original denominations to which the people still
confess themselves and the new category PKN in the questionnaire and in
the Statline tables. As a consequence, from 2004 onwards the percentages
of members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed (Calvinist)
Churches as well as the devotees of 'other denominations' are not
comparable with the figures of former years.

Calvinist

Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older that considers
himself/herself to be a member of the Reformed (Calvinist) Church.
Change August 8, 2008: In May 2004, the general synods of the Dutch
Reformed Church, the Reformed (Calvinist) Churches and the
Evangelical-Lutherian Church were fused into the Protestant Church of The
Netherlands ('Protestantse Kerk in Nederland', PKN). However, as the
survey-data of POLS indicate, the members of the original denominations
identify themselves only partially with the PKN. Therefor it is decided
to incorporate both the original denominations to which the people still
confess themselves and the new category PKN in the questionnaire and in
the Statline tables. As a consequence, from 2004 onwards the percentages
of members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed (Calvinist)
Churches as well as the devotees of 'other denominations' are not
comparable with the figures of former years.

Other denominations

Percentage of persons aged 18 years or older considering himself/herself
as a member of a denomination or religious or philosophical group not
mentioned previously, e.g., Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism.
From 2005 onwards, a new weighting scheme is used for the figures on
religion and worshipping. This new scheme results in a better
representation of in particular non-western immigrants in the response.
Because of this, a more realistic estimation of the division of religions
in the Netherlands is possible. The increase in the percentage of
devotees of other denominations in 2005 compared to 2004 is caused by the
change in weighting scheme and does not constitute a true increase in
following.