Amsterdam civil servants are given the opportunity to do volunteer work

The City of Amsterdam recently decided to continue the Volunteering During Working Hours pilot program. This will no longer be a pilot program, but a permanent opportunity under the banner of Social Impact Amsterdam. This means the City of Amsterdam will continue to offer all employees the opportunity to volunteer during working hours for 32 hours per year.

Alderman Hester van Buren (Personnel & Organization): “Amsterdam City employees work every day for our city and for Amsterdammers. By supporting community organizations, they can learn even more about what’s happening there. They incorporate these experiences into their work, allowing us to improve the municipal organization.”

Another motivation for giving employees the opportunity to volunteer is its positive effect on mental and physical health. Research has consistently shown that volunteering makes people healthier and happier. Volunteering by civil servants can also help bridge the gap between the government and Amsterdam society. By actively engaging in local initiatives, civil servants learn to better understand the needs and concerns of citizens, which contributes to greater transparency and trust in government.

At the Amsterdam Volunteer Center, we were closely involved in setting up the pilot program and are pleased that the Municipality is now continuing it. We hope it will serve as an example for other organizations. We see a high demand for volunteers at community organizations and are convinced that civil servants can make a valuable contribution as volunteers. We also believe that if more civil servants volunteer, this will have a positive effect on the relationship between civil society and the municipality and will foster greater mutual understanding.

Find volunteer work

Are you an employee of the City of Amsterdam and interested in volunteering during work hours? Read on to find out how.