Gozitan youth and their perspective on free time, leisure and work

Abstract

This work is the result of a research I carried out among young people in Gozo. It is part of a collective survey undertaken by a group of students of the Diploma in Youth Studies, in co-ordination with OASI Foundation - Gozo. The aim of the research was to penetrate deeply into the souls of Gozitan Youth and to seek to examine their beliefs, thoughts and conceptions regarding certain issues which interest them. The two themes which I chose to explore were free time I leisure and work. As a young person myself, I think that both themes touch young persons directly. Gozitan youth certainly had a lot to contribute. The research sought to investigate whether Gozitan young people perceive a difference between free time and leisure, and if they do, how they define it. It also tried to find out what are the activities they engage in and their patterns of free time and leisure. The research highlighted also the definition of work and employment as seen in the eyes of the Gozitan young people, their choices and preferences of certain work and why they would choose to do it. Finally, it investigated whether or not they feel that they were/or were being prepared for work. In order to get a clear picture about the real situation, I analysed a sample of 50 questionnaires, and personally conducted informal discussions and interviews to back the questionnaires. Furthermore, a qualitative analysis of the outcome was carried out. This was strengthened by theories of leisure and work which have been carried out elsewhere.