Let's celebrate National AND International Volunteer Days this December!

Volunteers like you are celebrated twice this month. Friday, 5 December was International Volunteer Day with “Every Contribution Matters“ as the theme this year. We recognized the power of collective action and acknowledge that every act of volunteering, big or small, contributes to a stronger and more connected world.

Today Sunday, 7 December is National Volunteer Day in The Netherlands, which many organizations will use as an opportunity to honour their volunteers' contributions. It does not matter if you volunteer as a board member, a trainer, a host, a buddy, an assistant, a gardener, a beach cleaner: you are making the world better and are working on your personal and professional development. You feel part of a team, a cause and belong - which in turn stretches you mentally and or physically by making you try new things in a new environment.

According to Time Bank, 84% of HR and recruiting professionals agree that volunteering is a great way to increase jobseekers' odds of finding work, with an astounding 80% of employers saying that they regard volunteering positively on a potential employee's CV. Whether it's helping to combat depression, learning to engage with new communities, or improving health and fitness, volunteering can also benefit one's physical and mental health and wellbeing. 

We at Volunteer The Hague understand the many benefits of volunteering - especially for internationals who recently moved to a new country. No matter the stage in your process of acclimatisation to the Netherlands, volunteering can be a great asset to help you get settled. This is why Volunteer The Hague connects internationals with meaningful volunteer opportunities at local non-profit organizations, free of charge. The Hague is a city where all nationalities come together, forming a Dutch multicultural society. As an organization, we bridge the gap between internationals who may not know where to start on their volunteering journey in a new country, and nonprofits which need internationals to run their programmes.

To all the fantastic volunteers in our community, we want to send you a genuine THANK YOU and hope you continue your volunteer journey in 2026!