About passion, mindset, and balance

With children, refugees, and the elderly, from Amsterdam to India; Daniëlle Smissaert has done all kinds of volunteer work. “I always say: at the end of your life, you don’t think about the things you have acquired or the successes you have achieved at work, but then you look at the impact you have had on people and the beautiful moments you have shared.”What do you do when you have spare time at work? Daniëlle: “It was about 7.5 years ago, I was working at ABN AMRO, which I really enjoyed, but because I did my work well and efficiently, I had spare time. I decided that I wanted to do volunteer work in addition. That’s when I came across the online volunteer job board of Vrijwilligers Centrale Amsterdam, where I read all volunteer opportunities and made a top five list. I quickly found a match, at Stichting Don Bosco where I started helping vulnerable young people. I also got to attend workshops on communication and setting boundaries, among other things. It was very educational and fueled my passion even more. I decided that from now on I want to take on something new at least once a year, and that has ended up like a snowball effect.”

It’s all about positivity

Walking with the elderly, organizing events for expats, and teaching at schools in India. This is just a small part of the volunteer work that Daniëlle has done. “All these different things have given me a broader view of society. It provides insight, and I think it is important to experience all those perspectives so that you understand a bit more why a situation is as it is. Volunteer work contributes to the compassion and perception around me. At work, you often hear about what is not going well, but when you do volunteer work, it is mainly about positivity.”

The nightmare of a young professional

“3.5 years ago, I became chronically ill and I am still sick to this day. In 2020, I was declared unfit for work for almost 70 percent. As a result, I had to say goodbye to my job, which is terrible when you are an ambitious young professional. I have always continued to do volunteer work and will always do so, even if it’s at a slower pace. I am intrinsically so passionate, and I believe that in a society like this where the individual is so central, it is all about what you can give back. The joy and appreciation you receive for that are priceless.”

Friends had to bring groceries.

Since March 2020, Daniëlle has been a volunteer for Coronahelpers, a platform where helpers and those in need are connected. “I was asked if I wanted to become the social media manager here. Without hesitation, I immediately said ‘yes’, firstly because I felt incredibly honored to do this with Deedmob and Coronahelpers, and secondly because I myself am part of the high-risk group. This meant that during the first lockdown, I didn’t see anyone for four months and had to rely on my friends to bring groceries. I find it very difficult to accept help from my immediate circle, so I felt incredibly burdened. But because I was busy with my volunteer work for Coronahelpers, I felt that things were back in balance. It provided a nice way to spend the day, a nice way to stay in touch with each other, and it was meaningful. Coronahelpers is full of beautiful initiatives, and it’s great that they are now in the spotlight. The fact that I could still bring something to others from my living room, that gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

Standing in the light again

Currently, Daniëlle has a job at ABN AMRO again, adjusted to her new situation. “I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity because the journey was not easy. When you are chronically ill, you have to deal with the consequences of the disease and its invisibility on one hand, but also with the invisibility in the job market on the other hand. It is difficult to find a job. In the future, I would like to come up with an initiative to give more visibility to this target group in the job market. I would also like to be a motivational speaker for my target group because I missed such a key figure myself. I believe that everything depends on the positivity you have. It is important to accept your situation but also to keep motivating yourself. When you have achieved something on your own again, you almost don’t feel the pain because you are so inspired. Don’t let it affect your good mindset and make sure you find something that allows you to stand in the light again: that’s what I would really like to convey to other chronically ill people.”Photo:Jackie Mulder
Text: Kiki Dusebout

Volunteer Tasks

In our online job board, there are about 1000 fun and meaningful volunteer opportunities in the city. For everyone’s talent and schedule.Search online or make an appointment with one of our mediators.