“Give volunteers the trust”

27 October 2025

Pam Kaaij, consultant at WonenPlus in LandsmeerWonenPlus is there for the elderly and people with disabilities or chronic illnesses to help them with all kinds of practical tasks, such as repairing something, maintaining the garden, or providing transportation to the hospital. This helps residents of Landmeer to remain independent for longer.

The task is important, but so is the cup of coffee, the chat.

“Four mornings a week, two volunteers are available at the service point to answer the phone: people calling for advice or for a task. So, there are a total of eight office volunteers. They then match such a request for help to one of over forty volunteers in the database. One does gardens, another transportation, another household chores. The volunteers are very involved with the residents. The task is important, but so is the cup of coffee, the chat. They don’t watch the clock.”Phone circleWonenPlus offers even more volunteer opportunities: at Samenkracht, vulnerable clients with a small network receive a voluntary network coach. There are volunteers who make home visits, and there are volunteers for the phone circle: they start the circle every day by calling a client. “Once every three months, I organize a fun afternoon with the volunteers and the participants. This way, they also get to know each other a little. Then it’s more enjoyable to make calls!”Satisfaction“People like to make themselves useful, do something good. This way they also have social contacts and belong somewhere. There is a strong bond among the volunteers. For example, if someone needs help, everyone is ready to assist. I sometimes hear people say: ‘Now that I am here, I feel like I belong again!’ In this way, we actually achieve two goals: the clients are helped, and the volunteers find satisfaction in their work.”Attention“For the organization, the client, and the volunteer themselves, it is nice when the job is done well. So, I do look at what someone can do. Usually, what you enjoy doing is also what you are good at. Together we look for a suitable task. Office volunteers need to be socially skilled, able to communicate well with clients and with other volunteers. Because outdoor volunteers often come to tell how things went, attention must also be paid to that. But sometimes you also have to let things go. Not everyone can do everything in my way.”Feeling“I don’t hire everyone. Does someone fit into the group? And does someone fit into the organization? That’s a feeling. Sometimes people want too much, then you get bored here. What does someone expect from me? Can I fulfill that? Recently, a woman who used our services became a volunteer! She felt much better and said, ‘I want to take people to the hospital.'”Self-managing team“The guidance of volunteers takes time. People want to share their stories about what they have experienced. You also need to take that time. The volunteers here in the office are becoming more and more a self-managing team, each with their own specialties. One buys the birthday cards, another organizes the outings. I deliberately make sure I am not in the office too much, so they can ask me anything! You have to give volunteers trust. They deserve that. And if something doesn’t go quite right, I don’t mind that much.”

“What I enjoy about this job is the contact with the volunteers and the residents. Being the linchpin in the background and coordinating everything. I am proud of my volunteers.”

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