Walk to Fight Cancer

Little Time, Real Impact: Why Flexible Volunteering Fits the Expat Lifestyle Ask an international resident of The Hague why they haven't started volunteering, and you'll usually hear some version of the same answer: "I'd love to, but I don't know how long I'll be here." Or: "My schedule is unpredictable." Or: "I can't commit to something every single week." These are reasonable hesitations. Life as an expat in a city built around embassies, international courts, and global organizations often means short postings, shifting work hours, and a constant sense that you might be relocating again before you've properly unpacked. Committing to a rigid volunteer schedule can feel like one more obligation you're not sure you can keep. But a look at what's actually available through Volunteer The Hague tells a different story. Volunteering here isn't a single, fixed shape. It's a spectrum of time commitment and there's very likely a version of it that fits into the life you're already living, whatever that looks like this month. The myth of "all or nothing" The assumption that volunteering means a standing weekly shift for the next two years simply doesn't hold up. Many roles listed on the platform specify commitments as light as zero to three or three to four hours a week. A volunteer cook position at Haags Ontmoeten, for instance, asks for just a few hours weekly cooking for seniors in Benoordenhout. A hostess role at a women's shelter asks for one fixed half-day per week. These aren't token gestures: they're genuinely useful contributions that happen to fit around a job, a language course, or childcare. Even roles labeled "long-term" frequently come with the word "flexible" attached. Gardening at a care home, hosting activities for seniors, cooking neighborhood meals; the frequency and timing are often left to the volunteer to shape. Long-term, in other words, doesn't have to mean locked-in. If you truly can't commit weekly, there's still a way in For internationals who genuinely can't promise anything recurring, after all maybe your contract ends in three months, maybe your work travel makes weekly planning impossible. Then one-off opportunities exist precisely for you. Volunteer The Hague's vacancy platform is full of single-day events that need volunteer hands: hosting visitors during Heritage Weekend at the Grote Kerk, marshaling runners at The Hague Marathon, joining the crew at the International Film Festival, or helping run a fundraising stand for the food bank over a single weekend. These aren't consolation prizes for people who "can't really volunteer." They're valuable in their own right, and they offer something else too: a low-stakes way to test what volunteering in a new city actually feels like, without the pressure of an ongoing promise. Show up once. See how it feels. Decide from there. A spectrum, not a ladder It helps to think of these options less as a hierarchy, where one-off events are the "beginner" version and weekly commitments are the "real" version. Some months, a single afternoon at a marathon water station might be exactly right. Other months, when your schedule settles, a few hours a week cooking or gardening might feel welcome and grounding. Roles that can be done from home, like social media content creation for a local organization, add yet another option for people juggling unpredictable hours or caregiving responsibilities. The point isn't to find the "right" level of commitment. It's to recognize that volunteering can flex with you, rather than demanding that you flex around it. How to actually find what fits Volunteer The Hague's own search filters make this spectrum easy to see. Before assuming nothing on the platform matches your schedule, filter opportunities by hours per week.This way the site lets you narrow results from "up to 2 hours" all the way to "16 hours or more," plus a separate option for one-off events. A few minutes of filtering often reveals far more options than a first glance suggests. If you'd rather explore in person before committing to anything online, the Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair on November 28, 2026, is designed exactly for this. It brings internationals together with local NGOs and organizations in one room, with no obligation attached. You get the chance to ask questions, get a feel for different causes, and find out what a realistic level of involvement might look like for you specifically. The takeaway You don't need certainty about how long you'll be in The Hague, or a permanently open weekly slot, to start volunteering. What you need is an hour, or an afternoon, or a willingness to check a filter you might have skipped past. The opportunities already exist at whatever scale fits your life right now, the only step left is finding them.

The Humanity Hub invites you to their September Community Drinks. The topic is AI & Humanity; Navigating Technology, Ethics, and Society on Thursday, 17 September. Connect, share & learn about what different organisations are doing to make the world more peaceful and sustainable at the Community Drinks. What if your next game-changing connection is just a drink away? Join them for Community Drinks to wind down around a glass, make new connections, and get inspired by the spotlights of the evening. Hosted at The Hague Humanity Hub, this is the place for you to get away from your busy schedule and enjoy after-hours with purposeful conversations. What can you expect? Artificial Intelligence is no longer a technology of the future. It is already influencing how we work, communicate, make decisions, share information, and respond to complex social challenges. Across humanitarian action, peacebuilding, international justice, education, media, public policy, and civil society, AI is creating new possibilities. At the same time, it raises urgent questions about ethics, bias, transparency, accountability, privacy, trust, and human oversight. Join us on Thursday, 17 September, from 17:30 to 19:00, for the September edition of The Hague Humanity Hub Community Drinks. Under the theme “AI & Humanity: Navigating Technology, Ethics, and Society,” this edition will explore the human dimension of Artificial Intelligence. Rather than approaching AI as a purely technical subject, we will bring together perspectives from across technology, research, humanitarian action, policy, social innovation, and civil society to consider how AI can be developed and used responsibly. The question is no longer simply whether we should use AI, but how we can use it in ways that support people, strengthen institutions, and contribute to more inclusive and accountable societies. Together, we will explore questions such as: What does a responsible AI look like in practice? Can AI improve humanitarian and peacebuilding efforts without compromising ethics? How do we prevent AI from reinforcing existing inequalities? What responsibilities come with using AI across civil society and international organisations? Through short speaker spotlights and open discussion, the evening will create space for practical examples, critical reflection, and exchange across sectors. Who are the speakers? impactID offers a secure, purpose‑driven platform designed hand‑in‑hand with NGOs and foundations to make fundraising, project management, and results tracking simpler, smarter, and more human. More speakers to be announced shortly. Who is it for? If you are interested in connecting with people and their work towards a more peaceful, just and sustainable world, this event is for you. Whatever your role or sector, join Community Drinks to relax, exchange perspectives, and connect with this vibrant community committed to making the world more peaceful, just and sustainable, one conversation at a time. Date: Thursday, 17 September Time: 17:30–19:00 Location: The Hague Humanity Hub Come meet fellow professionals, exchange perspectives, and explore how technology and humanity can evolve together.

Join the Talent for Good Forum, an immersive experience designed to give you the skills, the connections, and deeper insights to navigate the next steps in your career. Open to anyone interested in exploring impact-driven careers and the future of meaningful work. When: Thu 4 Jun 2026 11:00 - 18:30 The Hague University of Applied Sciences, 2521 EN Why the Forum? The Talent for Good Forum is organised by The Hague Humanity Hub in partnership with The Hague University of Applied Sciences, and with the support of the major universities and higher education institutions in The Hague. This year, we’re moving beyond the traditional career fair to create a knowledge-driven experience that combines direct career access with expert-led dialogue, interactive sessions, and meaningful networking. Hosted in the heart of The Hague, the International City of Peace and Justice, the Forum brings together student energy, professional expertise, and organisations working to shape a more just, sustainable, and resilient future. Morning Programme 11:00-13:30 – Career Fair Meet the IGOs, NGOs, government entities, and mission-driven businesses that make up The Hague’s peace and justice ecosystem. Whether you are looking for inspiration, exploring internship and volunteer opportunities, or considering a professional leap, this is where you discover organisations, build your network, and explore career pathways. 11:00-12:00 - Skills Workshops Sharpen your skillset through a series of interactive, hands-on workshops facilitated by leading NGOs, IGOs, and professionals. Whether you're developing negotiation skills, learning about fundraising careers, or practising networking techniques, these sessions are designed to help you stand out in an impact-driven field. Afternoon Programme 13:00-13:45 - Keynotes Join the conversation on our 2026 theme: “Shaping Trust in the Future.” Hear insights from HRH Princess Laurentien van Oranje and Emma Wedner, Chairperson Council of Europe Advisory Council on Youth, on how can you help rebuild trust in communities, institutions, movements, and more, as you kickstart your impact-driven career in an era of misinformation and global instability. 14:00-15:30 - Breakout Sessions Join one of 15 interactive breakout sessions and explore what rebuilding trust in the future could mean in practice. Together with fellow participants and expert facilitators, you will exchange ideas and perspectives on themes ranging from multilateralism and international development to AI, climate, media, and international business. 15:45-17:00 - Expert Panel The closing panel explores how the next generation of professionals and changemakers can contribute to stronger, more trusted institutions, communities, and movements. It is a cross-sector panel featuring leaders including the Chair College Rechten van de Mens, CoE Advisory Council on Youth, Settly, and others. 17:00-18:30 - Networking Reception Conclude the day with an informal networking reception and continue conversations with fellow participants, speakers, and professionals from across the ecosystem. Find the full programme and all information at Talent for Good Forum - 4 June 2026 Some of the sectors you will meet Peace, Justice & Democracy – Be at the heart of The Hague’s global mission. Tech for Good & AI Responsibility – Navigate the ethics of the latest digital developments. Climate & Sustainability – Drive the transition to a greener, fairer world. Security & Resilience – Build stronger communities in uncertain times. Plus: Governance, Development and Human Rights, Impact Entrepreneurship, and Art and Culture.