Volonteurope member André Hudepohl of The Association of Dutch Voluntary Effort Organisations (NOV), has invited our network to get involved in the National Year of Voluntary Commitment 2021 in the Netherlands.
Launched on 2 December by Queen Máxima, the 2021 campaign hopes to reverse statistics in the country which show fewer people are spending less time volunteering.
André said: “The statistics are clear, we have less people volunteering and this is at a time when all kinds of social problems need more involvement, from sports and exercise to health, illiteracy or nature.
“Our country is made by everyone who inhabits it and there are millions of people who want to help others. Volunteering is very satisfying and brings us into contact with people we otherwise would never have met. That’s why the motto of the National Year of Voluntary Commitment 2021 is ‘People make the Netherlands’.
The campaign will help volunteer organisations to recruit ‘expedition leaders’ who will be trained to support more than 2,000 other organisations to enthuse and recruit their own volunteers.
It will also involve sessions to share knowledge, national volunteer awards with cash prizes, two ‘Weeks of Asking’ to commit volunteers, the development of a toolkit, media promotion and social media activity.
Joost van Alkemade, Director of NOV, said: “People make the Netherlands” is intended to show what volunteers contribute to society, how nice and valuable that is, and to ask new people to commit themselves.”
Within the National Year, a special focus will be given to the role of the business community and corporate social responsibility and education and involving more young people.
The campaign is being run by members of the Dutch NOV Association and partners with government funding.
Find out more HERE.