Ingrid Vanderhoeven has been working at Tele-Onthaal for almost 10 years. Today, she works as a policy officer for volunteer work. In this role, she stands alongside, behind, and among the volunteers: a dynamic network of people with open ears, open minds, and an endless compass for empathy. From her daily practice, Ingrid keenly felt that volunteer work is facing new challenges. The influx is becoming more fragile, the outflow faster, and commitment is becoming less and less neatly pigeonholed. Volunteers are moving differently, and organizations need to keep up. Ingrid believes in systems that move with people. Together with volunteers, colleagues, and administrators, she is therefore looking for new answers: more space for volunteers to contribute ideas, share knowledge, participate in decision-making, and shape their commitment flexibly. “Our volunteers are Tele-Onthaal, and they make Tele-Onthaal. Everything I do starts from there.”
Ingrid Vanderhoeven
Workshop leader
Building a future proof volunteer policy
Workshop
How can we truly find, engage, inspire, and retain volunteers? Not simply to fill shifts or cover the helpline 24/7, but to shape a future where volunteering is meaningful, sustainable, and rewarding for everyone involved. For one year, we embarked on a journey with more than 100 people; volunteers, former volunteers, prospective volunteers, professionals, and board members. Together, we explored bold ideas, tested new approaches, and reimagined what volunteering could look like when every individual feels seen, heard, and supported. In this workshop, we invite you into our story. We will share the insights, the experiments, and the decisions that are shaping a stronger, more inspiring volunteer program, one that looks beyond today’s needs and toward a shared horizon of connection, participation and impact.