For volunteer organizations that want to set up a volunteer policy, Arcon has made a manual with points that deserve special attention for volunteers. We offer this manual to help you shape your own volunteer policy on the basis of this.

The Arcon manual dates from 2012, but the content is still up-to-date.
We added an update to the manual in 2023.

Download the manual here

Sample volunteer policy

We would like to offer you a few examples of what a volunteer can look like.

Quiet Volunteer Policy.pdf

Many organizations are looking for volunteers. And there are many ways to draw attention to your vacancies. So think carefully about who or what you are looking for to reach the right people.

Job bank

You have the widest reach when you use the vacancy database. You can find it under the button of the same name at the top of this page. Fill in the enclosed registration form and send it to us via the contact page . As an association or foundation you can get a free account for our vacancy database to manage vacancies yourself.

Network

Recruiting volunteers appears to be most effective in your own network or that of your volunteers, participants, visitors and clients. So actively let your network know that you are looking for help.

Social media

Think carefully about what kind of volunteers you need. Are you looking for help in the evenings or weekends? Have you ever thought about students? They are best reached via Instagram and Facebook. Do you want to give job seekers a chance? Get activity on LinkedIn.

Still complicated?

Are you unsure about the approach, is it a vacancy that requires a lot of explanation or do you just want advice: We are happy to help you!
Please do not hesitate to contact us.

How do I write a vacancy?

How do you write a recruiting vacancy? A complete and clear description gives a good first impression. The first thing your potential volunteer sees is the title. What do you put on top? Keep it short and concise. Make the reader curious. For instance:

• How good are you with homework?
• Daan would like to go to the movies with you.
• Are you that cozy coffee volunteer?

Make sure that you then clearly provide the reader with all the information that has become curious. State the function clearly by name and describe literally what it entails. Don't forget to give a fair estimate of the time required. The candidate then knows what to expect. Use active, short sentences and avoid difficult words or jargon. Also tell what the volunteer gets in return: satisfaction, appreciation, experience, sociability.

And further: A text full of errors looks unprofessional. Be inviting and respectful. Conclude with a reference to the organization. Write friendly but also businesslike. Limit the length of the message.

Last but not least: answer all responses as quickly as possible.

Make sure your vacancy is attractive. There are no rules about the content of the vacancy. We are happy to give you a few tips.

What do you expect from a volunteer?

What makes the work worthwhile?
When do you need the volunteer? (Be flexible)

Indicate how the acceptance procedure works.

Read here 10 tips for writing a vacancy

Five ways to value your volunteers

The feeling of being seen, appreciated and understood is one of our basic needs. Receiving sincere appreciation can motivate employees enormously and make them happy. It encourages them to give their best and take on new challenges. After all, we all want to feel that we matter. That what we give and contribute is also seen and appreciated. If employees do not receive appreciation, they become demotivated and frustrated. That's a shame, because there are plenty of ways to show appreciation.

What can you do?

Five ways to show your appreciation. Please note, not every person is the same. If you give attention to your volunteer, you will know what is most needed or not.

1. With time
   Take the time to get to know your volunteer. Ask questions, be open, pay attention.
2. With gifts
   If you know your employees, you know what makes them happy. A flower, book or a bottle of wine. But it doesn't always have to cost money. Think about an experience.
3. With words
   Sincere compliments often do well. If you put someone in the spotlight in a group, such a compliment can become even stronger.
4. With help
   Be collegial and offer help where needed. Get coffee, give a lift or help someone further in their career.
5. Physically
   Give a clap on the back, a high five or a hug. Note: Be careful if it is desirable.

What does the municipality do?

Five ways in which the Municipality of Tilburg appreciates its volunteers:

VrijwilligersTilburg

By subsidizing VrijwilligersTilburg. On behalf of the municipality, we support, inform, advise and promote voluntary work and voluntary commitment.

We do this, among other things, by coordinating / organizing the following:

1. Volunteer Points
   There are several places in Tilburg where you can go with all your questions about volunteering and volunteering.
2. Volunteer policy
   All Tilburg volunteers are automatically insured.
3. Volunteer Awards
   On behalf of the municipality and in collaboration with Rabobank Tilburg eo and Interpolis, we organize the Tilburg Volunteer Awards.
4. Volunteer thanks
   On behalf of the municipality, we recruit sponsors and manage a webshop with nice thank yous.
5. Volunteer Academy
   In collaboration with various partners, many free training courses, workshops and lectures are offered to all volunteers in Tilburg.

What do you do to value your volunteers?

We are curious about your tips. Send us your tips for inspiration via the contact page .

Volunteer work plays an increasingly important role in the care and welfare sector and that is why it is important now to demonstrate that you have organized your volunteer work well. The association of Dutch Organizations Volunteer Work (NOV) has developed a quality mark for volunteer policy, under the name 'Vrijwillige Inzet Goed Geregeld'.

This national quality mark is awarded to voluntary organizations and social institutions whose volunteer policy meets the quality criteria set by NOV. You can see whether your organization meets these requirements by performing the Self-evaluation. The link to it is at the top of this page.

Do you want to qualify for the official quality mark? In that case, you must follow the certification procedure referenced at the top of this page.

For certification, you must have your self-assessment assessed by a consultant recognized by the NOV. Several VrijwilligersTilburg Volunteering advisors are authorized to conduct this assessment. The quality mark is valid for four years. The link to it is at the top of this page.

Do you want more information?
Please contact a volunteering adviser

The municipality of Tilburg has taken out collective volunteer insurance for all volunteers who are active within the municipality of Tilburg. Volunteers are automatically insured and do not need to register. VrijwilligersTilburg coordinates the insurance, answers questions and, after verification, forwards any claims to the insurer.

Click here for the policy conditions and brochures of the VNG Volunteer Insurance or download the claim form . Or send an email to Vrijwilligerstilburg with your question.

Who is covered by the VNG volunteer insurance? Download the schedule

How further

We check the data and assess whether the claim has a chance. If so, we will forward the claim to Centraal Beheer. Centraal Beheer settles the claim with the volunteer and/or his organisation.

The municipality plays no further role in this, even if the insurer rejects the claim.

Knowing more? Download the full brochure

As an association or foundation you must comply with a number of legal rules. Regardless of the size of your club. The two main ones are:

The GDPR

On May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to all organizations that store data of individuals (personal data) in a file. These organizations must comply with the rules in this new regulation. This applies to storage in digital files as well as in folders on a shelf. The latter must also be stored safely from now on without the access of strangers. With the seven steps below you can make your organization GDPR-proof!

View here which 7 steps you need to take to comply with the GDPR

The WBTR

On July 1, 2021, every association and foundation must comply with the WBTR.

See what is expected of you here

Your organization will sometimes like to have a VOG (Verklaring Omtrent Behaviour) from the volunteers. There are three ways you can arrange this:

1. The organization uses eHerkenning (the online identification tool for companies and organizations) to log in to the Justis site, the body that screens applicants for the government. Justis then screens and emails the volunteer. The volunteer applies for the VOG with the e-mail and his digiD. The costs are 33.85 euros.
2. The volunteer applies for the statement through the municipality. He or the organization downloads the required form from www.justis.nl. The organization fills in the requested information on this form and signs it. The volunteer also fills in his/her details and goes to the municipality with the form and proof of identity. The costs then amount to 41.35 euros.
3. If the organization is committed to a vulnerable target group – such as minors, people in a position of dependency and people with a disability – it may be able to use free VOGs. Here you will find the conditions . On that site you can also submit a request to provide free VOGs to the volunteers.

Who pays?

Organizations usually reimburse the VOG for their volunteers. Make clear agreements about this in advance with the volunteers, so that they know what to expect. If you have any questions, you can always contact the Volunteer Point, please do not hesitate to contact us .

In principle, the same applies to voluntary work by young people up to the age of 18 as to paid work. This means that children up to the age of 16 are formally not allowed to volunteer, with a few exceptions.

School attendance

Young people aged 16 and 17 are allowed to work without further ado, up to 45 hours a week. Because these young people are still (partially) of school age, work should not hinder normal school attendance. School hours are also counted as working time. Risky work may only be carried out under expert supervision. (Volunteer) work between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. is prohibited, as is on-call duty. Volunteers under the age of 18 fall under the Working Conditions Act (arbo) as a vulnerable group. Supervision and information are necessary for all young people under the age of 18.

Source: Platform Voluntary Deployment

In Safe Hands

Unfortunately, sexual harassment is still far too common. A 2006 survey found that 19% of women and 4% of men had experienced sexual violence before the age of 16 within the sports or youth club, the family, at school, in the community centre, while going out or at work. street. The victims find it very difficult to talk about the abuse. This makes the consequences big for them. Voluntary organizations should be aware of the vulnerability of minors and people with intellectual disabilities.

Roadmap

To get the subject on the agenda of voluntary organizations, the Association of Dutch Voluntary Organizations (NOV) has developed the project 'In Safe Hands'.

Get started right away with your organization or ask our advisors for a personal consultation .

Blue Moon

Blue Moon offers professional help to people who have experienced involuntary sex or sexual abuse. They also support those directly involved, such as parents and partners.

If you want to work with themes related to sexually transgressive behavior within your volunteer organization, then Blauwe Maan can support you in making the subject a subject for discussion.

In times of austerity, some social functions can only survive because volunteers are willing to fill them. Volunteers would replace paid workers. Whether this is possible and permitted, and under what conditions, is a complex discussion. Vereniging NOV takes the position that volunteers can replace paid employees in certain circumstances. However, there are a number of preconditions that must be met when volunteers replace paid employees.

The preconditions

1. Volunteering is truly voluntary.
2. The volunteer has an intrinsic motivation to do the work and to support the goal of the organization or project.
3. The organization has a good volunteer policy.
4. The organization provides professional development.
5. The organization provides a safe environment and good agreements about responsibilities.
6. The organization is not a profit organization, but works on a non-profit basis.
7. The division of roles between any professionals and volunteers is clear and, in practice, also balanced. Everyone knows what to do and there is mutual respect. For example, it may be that the professional is there to support the volunteers instead of the other way around.
8. The limits to what a volunteer is allowed to do (for example in healthcare) change, but they deserve discussion and clear agreements every time.

Vereniging NOV also believes that governments and organizations must realize very clearly:

That it is not self-evident that volunteers perform (previously paid) tasks. Governments and organizations would do themselves (and others) a great favor by taking this into account when setting realistic goals. Money will always be needed for many social functions, as well as for the support and coordination of volunteers. Increasing taxes, involving funds and cooperating with the business community can contribute to this. The Netherlands has a huge percentage of volunteers with a social commitment. However, there are limits to appealing to it; people must have an income, have family, other voluntary work, hobbies, etc.

Source: NOV