“It is an art to truly reach the victim”

“Sometimes you see things in the local newspaper and then you know: there’s a good chance that case will come to me. It concerns robberies, threats, neighbor disputes, traffic accidents, thefts, and so on.” Gert (62) works as a volunteer in general services at Victim Support Netherlands. “In my work as a human resources manager, I have had to manage intense situations. And in my own life, I have experienced things that had a strong impact. With that experience, I can make a difference for people who have also been through something intense.”“When I started, I first received various trainings, also online. I learned a lot from that. I usually speak to people 1 to 1.5 weeks after the impactful event. People are often still in a kind of frozen state. Based on someone’s story, I assess how they are doing. I try to make sure people feel comfortable in the conversation. I do this by starting with topics like music or sports; you shouldn’t just try to have that heavy conversation. It is then very interesting and touching. Sometimes you also see the eyes of such a victim change.”

Robbery at work

“One of the people I helped was a young woman, a business manager, who had been robbed for the second time in a short period. She was completely apathetic. Someone can be greatly affected by such an event and may, for example, be unable to send the right pieces or to keep an overview of the situation. Sometimes someone cannot bring themselves to do anything. Small things then become very big. That’s when someone is not self-reliant. In such cases, sometimes you have to do a little more and take on more tasks. It also depends on what the environment can take over. That’s where you need to step in.”

Self-reliance is important

Empathy and understanding are important in this volunteer work. However, you must be able to set boundaries and not become completely attached to a case, a story, a person. You are not a social worker; self-reliance is important. You help someone get started, but ultimately, they must walk the path to recovery themselves.

Even as a volunteer, sometimes you need to share your story

“It’s intense things that you hear. In the team meeting, we discuss how it affects us. Every month we review a case. How did you experience that yourself? Some things are so intense that it’s important that you can share that. Either at home or with your colleagues.”Interview and photo:Victim Support Netherlands

Want to do volunteer work?

Check out the options at Victim Support Netherlands.Of checkour job board, there you will find over 1000 fun volunteer opportunities in the city. See what suits you!

This article is part of the project More seniors volunteering, funded by Fonds Sluyterman van Loo, RCOAK, and the municipality of Amsterdam city center.