Your Voice, Your City: Meet The Hague City Council

Settling into a new city can be quite a challenge. Join The Hague International Centre's Feel at Home event for an informative and engaging evening on Monday, March 30 2026 ! Volunteer The Hague is one many organizations present at Feel at Home event to inform new and long-term international residents of The Hague about support services. Speak directly with experts and get answers to your questions about housing, childcare, taxes, healthcare, social clubs and more. Connect with others, enjoy some drinks and snacks and the lovely live music performance. Participating organizations include Childcare providers Communities Education Exploring The Hague Healthcare providers Housing services: Language learning and intercultural training Legal and financial services Neighbourhood associations Relocation services Volunteering and Career When? Monday, 30 March 2026 17:00 to 20:00 hrs Where? Madurodam George Maduroplein 1, 2584 RZ The Hague Parking is free at the parking space of Madurodam. The Volunteer The Hague team is excited to meet all visitors at this awesome event at the Madurodam park. Entrance is free but registration is required. Places are getting booked up fast so please register today.

Randy Heuschen, Civil Servant for the Municipality of The Hague, gave a workshop called 'Your Voice Matters: Be Active, Be heard, Belong!' during Volunteer The Hague's 2025 Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair. He would like to inspire you to become an active resident of The City of The Hague by understanding the following three concepts. Your personal story is your strength, it helps bring you firther in life whether your experiences felt good or bad Be social! Join activities, you never know when someone might inspire you or YOU inspire them Even though it might feel scary, allow yourself to be vulnerable. It makes you human and makes it easier for other people to relate to you. Building a Home Away from Home in The Hague Feeling at home in a city is about more than just having an address. It is about being heard, being active, and truly belonging. For many internationals living in The Hague, building that sense of connection can take time, but it is absolutely possible. Randy Heuschen understands this journey firsthand. Having spent 15 years abroad as the son of a diplomat and been educated in the British international system, he experienced what it means to adapt to new cultures. Now 29 and working as a civil servant and district employee for Scheveningen within the Municipality of The Hague, his ambition is clear: bringing internationals and Dutch residents closer together. His guiding belief is simple yet powerful: your story is your strength. The Role of the Municipality The Municipality of The Hague plays a central role in daily life. It maintains the Personal Records Database (BRP), issues passports, identity cards, and driving licences, and provides financial assistance to those in need. It is responsible for implementing key legislation such as the Social Support Act (WMO), the Participation Act, and youth care services. Beyond administration, the municipality shapes the physical and social fabric of the city. It plans residential and green spaces, supervises housing construction, maintains streets and cycle paths, manages waste collection, supports schools, and ensures accessibility to industrial parks. It also funds community facilities such as libraries and swimming pools and issues permits for local businesses and market traders.

CLICK HERE to register for this free course. Parenting doesn’t come with a manual. And when daily life is busy, it’s easy to fall back on habits from how we were raised. The free training It Starts With Me invites parents and caregivers to pause, reflect, and grow in a supportive group setting. The focus is practical and positive: understanding your influence as a role model and strengthening your relationship with your child. Why this training matters Children learn by observing. What we say matters, but so does what we do: how we respond under stress, how we listen, how we set boundaries, and how we show care. In this training, you explore how your own behaviour shapes your child’s world and what you personally want to pass on. One participant shared a powerful insight: “I discovered that I can be quite authoritarian, just like my father. The training makes me look and listen better to what my child needs. Our bond has improved as a result.” Another participant described the deeper reflection the programme can unlock: “It starts with me goes back to your roots. I realize now that everyone has his own history, his own present and his own future.” What you can expect The training consists of six meetings of 2.5 hours. Sessions include sharing, reflection, discussion, and learning together with other parents and caregivers. The programme pays special attention to parenting in a multicultural context, making space for different backgrounds, languages, and family experiences. You won’t just talk during the sessions. The goal is to take insights home and start working immediately on changes you want in your daily family life. Trainer The sessions are led by Sophie Looijestijn, 42, mother of two. She describes the training as having a big and positive impact on her own parenting. Having grown up as a Dutch expat, she is familiar with raising children in a multicultural and multilingual environment and looks forward to meeting participants. Dates, time, and location Time: 19:00 to 21:30 for every session Dates (Tuesdays): 24 February: Kick-off meeting 3 March: Day 2 10 March: Day 3 17 March: Day 4 24 March: Day 5 31 March: Closing session with certificate Where: Weimar Wijkpaleis Weimarstraat 300, Den Haag Participation and registration Participation is free. Because the sessions build on each other, joining means committing to attend all six meetings (except in unforeseen circumstances). About the programme It Starts With Me (Het Begint Bij Mij) was developed by Peer3 and is carried out in The Hague by various organisations, made possible by the Municipality of The Hague.