Past Networking Events

With approximately 2,000 enthusiastic attendees, this year's event was our biggest and most vibrant yet, filled with meaningful connections, inspiring conversations, and the shared spirit of giving back.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 10th, 2025, we're hosting this year's supersized version of the Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair titled "Together at Home" at the beautiful Amare in The Hague! After the great turnout at our last supersized event in May of last year, the Volunteer The Hague team is hard at work planning our next fun and informative event! This isn't just another volunteer job fair, it's a chance to connect with the heart of our community. The "Together at Home" fair is designed to bring together diverse organizations from across The Hague, all eager to welcome passionate volunteers like you. Whether your interests lie in working with children, supporting the elderly, protecting our environment, or contributing to local initiatives, you'll find something that sparks your passion. This event is organized by the Volunteer The Hague project of PEP Den Haag in collaboration with the Residentie Orkest, Open Amare, Cultuurschakel, and the Municipality of The Hague. And just as last year, this Volunteer Market will be filled with beautiful sounds from the Residentie Orkest, followed by a series of performances by local music groups where each performance will reflect the cultural diversity of The Hague. Think of it as a dynamic marketplace of volunteer opportunities. You'll have the chance to chat directly with representatives from various organizations, learn about their missions, and discover how your skills and time can make a real impact. It's the perfect way to explore different roles and find a volunteer experience that truly resonates with you. At Volunteer The Hague, we believe in the power of community and the importance of active citizenship. PEP Den Haag, our parent organization, works tirelessly to strengthen communities and promote volunteering throughout the city. This volunteer job fair is a testament to that commitment, connecting individuals with meaningful opportunities to contribute. We understand that finding the right volunteer role can sometimes feel overwhelming. That's why we've created the "Together at Home" fair – to simplify the process and make it fun! It's a chance to meet like-minded individuals, discover new passions, and contribute to making The Hague an even better place to live. So, save the date - May 10th, 2025, at Amare in The Hague and get ready to find your perfect volunteer match at the "Together at Home" Volunteer Job Fair. We're incredibly excited to welcome you! As we get closer to the event, we'll be sharing more details about participating organizations and the event schedule. Stay tuned for updates by following Volunteer The Hague on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. We encourage you to spread the word and invite your friends and family. Let's come together and make a difference! We at Volunteer The Hague and PEP Den Haag look forward to seeing you there!

Wow, what an event! The Autumn November 2024 Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair has wrapped up, and we’re still buzzing from all the energy and connections made. It was a joy to see attendees and nonprofits from The Hague region come together, creating memories and making a real impact.

On November 18, 2023, Volunteer The Hague hosted a supersized Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair, creating an invaluable platform for meaningful connections between volunteers and organisations in the city. With almost 400 visitors and over 30 participating organisations, the event was a great success, leaving a lasting impact on both attendees and organisers. The event, held at The Social Hub in The Hague, saw a diverse array of motivated individuals from all walks of life eager to contribute their time and skills to various causes. The fair showcased a spectrum of volunteer opportunities, allowing attendees to explore and connect with organisations aligned with their values and interests. This time, more than 30 stand holders representing a wide range of causes were taking part in the fair to engage with potential volunteers. Each booth served as a microcosm of the impactful work being done in the community and beyond, with representatives on hand to discuss opportunities and answer questions. The variety of organisations present ensured that there was something for everyone. To further enrich the experience, the fair featured three insightful workshops: “How to Get Unstuck and How Volunteering Can Help with That” by Vassia Sarantopoulou, "Integrating Volunteering Into Your Job-Hunting Strategy," by Sarah Feid and “LinkedIn: Top Tips For Volunteers and Job Seekers," by Renée Tentori. The success of the Volunteer Job Fair is not only measured by the number of participants but also by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from organisations and visitors. A post-event survey revealed a very high satisfaction rate, emphasising the quality of connections made, the organisation of the event, and the impact it had on attendees' perspectives toward volunteering. We express our gratitude to all participants, stand holders, and volunteers who contributed to the success of this event. Together, we are building a stronger and more connected international community in The Hague. The next Mix & Match event is going to take place in May 2024. Stay tuned for updates!

The May 2023 edition of the Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair has come to a close, leaving attendees and The Hague non-profits with lasting memories and a sense of fulfillment. In this post-event article, we take a moment to reflect on the highlights and key takeaways from this remarkable event. Held on May 13 at The Social Hub, the Volunteer Job Fair was not merely a one-day event, but a beginning of a meaningful journey for many local NGOs and international volunteers. This edition of the Mix & Match event was a resounding success, drawing more than 300 attendees eager to explore volunteer opportunities in the city and engage with like-minded individuals. The sheer number of attendees highlighted the growing interest and commitment to volunteerism within the international community of The Hague. Moreover, the fair played host to an impressive lineup of nearly 30 organizations, each dedicated to diverse causes and eager to connect with individuals willing to contribute their time, skills, and compassion. MCed by our project manager Tetyana Benzeroual, the fair began with an opening ceremony where Gert-Jan Aleman, the director of PEP Den Haag (parent organization of Volunteer The Hague) welcomed attendees in his address while passing the floor to the Deputy Mayor of The Hague, Kavita Parbhudayal who highlighted the importance of volunteer work in the community. The Deputy Mayor commended Volunteer The Hague for its efforts in bringing together volunteers and non-profit organizations and urged the public to participate in volunteering activities. In her opening remarks, she reiterated the importance of internationals volunteering in our community. ‘Volunteering is the cement of our society. It connects people and builds bridges between internationals and non-internationals, which makes The Hague stronger’. Kavita Parbhudayal In the picture, from left to right, are: Gert-Jan Aleman, Kavita Parbhudayal, Tetyana Benzeroual The carefully curated event program featured a series of presentations delivered by esteemed professionals in their respective fields: Sarah Feid Account manager at The Hague International Centre talked about Job Hunting Strategies in The Hague Region, Abderrahim Kajouane Senior Advisor at PEP Den Haag shared the insides to The Hague as a Hub for NGO Professionals, Flora Bogman-Nieboer Senior Advisor at PEP Den Haag talked about Interviewing Skills for Volunteer Opportunities, Jobs, and More, and Tetyana Benzeroual Project Manager of Volunteer The Hague informed us How Volunteering Can Benefit Your Career. These presentations provided attendees with valuable insights, sence of belonging, and a deeper understanding of the benefits of volunteering. Throughout the day, attendees were not only inspired by these presentations but also engaged in conversations with representatives from participating organizations, further deepening their understanding of volunteer opportunities and building connections for future collaborations. All in all, the Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair was a testament to the fact that voluntary work is not limited by age, occupation, or background. It was a beautiful tapestry of stories and journeys, where every thread wove together to create a brighter future. We extend our deepest gratitude to the organizations that shared their causes and opportunities, inspiring attendees to become active participants in mission-driven initiatives in The Hague. Through their commitment, the attendees left equipped with the connections and inspiration needed to make a long-lasting positive impact in their communities. Let us carry the spirit of volunteerism forward and keep building bridges between NGOs and volunteers in The Hague. Photos by Michel Heerkens For more photo impressions of the event please click here The Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair through the eyes of attendees List of participating organizations 070online.nl - An organization offering local news and videos from The Hague region. ACCESS - A foundation that relies on its English-speaking international and Dutch volunteers who enjoy helping others adjust to life in the Netherlands. Community Plus - An organization focusing on closer social cohesion and a better quality of life in local neighborhoods in The Hague. Don Bosco Rijswijk - Multicultural youth center organizing activities for children and teenagers aimed at teaching play skills and allowing children to make friends. Expatriate Archive Centre - Historical organization that collects and preserves the life stories of expatriates worldwide for future research. Female Ventures - An organization that builds cross-generational community of ambitious female professionals. Haagse Watervrienden - The Hague Water Friends is a volunteer-run swimming association for young and old, which offers swimming lessons, competitive and master swimming, exercise for the elderly, and snorkeling activities in The Hague region. Justice & Peace Nederland - A human rights organization based in The Hague that provides temporary protection to human rights defenders and empowers citizens in the Netherlands to support refugees so that they may rebuild their lives. Leger des Heils - is is also known as the Dutch arm of The Salvation Army which helps vulnerable people in our society. Literaturhaus Deutsche Bibliothek - Aims to promote the cultural relationship between Germany and the Netherlands, in particular through German language and culture and the maintenance of a German-language library. Present Den Haag - A non-profit specialized in collaboration with all the professional welfare and mental healthcare organizations of The Hague and surrounding areas. RespijtHuis HouseMartin - A welcoming and warm temporary care home where homeless people in need can stay to recover from short-term illness. Romanian School the Hague - A foundation that provides informal courses in the Romanian language. Stadslink - An idealistic foundation that operates as a social enterprise, promoting people's economic and social independence. Stichting CENDDOW - The Centre for Diaspora Development Work is non-profit migrant organization that is focused on inclusive social cohesion for African migrants as part of our local society. Stichting CorrelAid Nederland - A non-profit network of data scientists who want to use their skills to advance the social good. Stichting Dessi Tuji - Non-profit organization for poverty alleviation and development cooperation in Ethiopia that provides children and adults with access to education and promoting the emancipation of Ethiopian women. Stichting TransitieCinema - An organization that runs documentary screenings on sustainability & transition, followed by Q&A sessions and workshops. Stichting Vitalis - Vitalis tries to prevent professional youth assistance for children between the ages of 5 and 18 who lack attention by linking these children to suitable buddies. TERRA Foundation - This organization promotes forest restoration and sustainable land management by providing financial and technical support to indigenous communities, helping to preserve biodiversity, wildlife, and ancestral knowledge. The Hague International Centre - A point of contact for internationals and international staff of organizations and companies in The Hague region. Together International - A non-profit dedicated to Development Aid and Humanitarian Aid projects. Under the Sun - A project that aims to empower vulnerable families in Western Sahrawi refugee camps by fundraising for house construction, as well as water tank and air conditioning installation. Viable Community - An international organization that enables people to preserve and restore nature while enjoying the experience. Wijkz - A welfare organization for the residents of The Hague, informing our community about activities, volunteer jobs, support in the neighborhood, and offering practical help where needed. Wool for Warmth - A non-profit dedicated to collecting wool and organizing knitting groups that knit clothing items for the homeless. Women's Initiatives Network - WIN is a non-profit dedicated to women, peace, and security for women in the Netherlands and Africa. YMCA Den Haag - The Hague chapter of the international youth organization that is committed to giving young people a place where they feel at home.

On the 6th of October, Volunteer The Hague held its semi-annual Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair at The Humanity Hub. The event brought together local residents and various non-profit organisations to connect internationals with volunteer opportunities in the community. The Mix & Match fair featured over 35 organisations, all focusing on a variety of fields and interests, including human rights, social justice, elderly care, animal and environmental causes, and so much more. Each organisation had a booth where they could share information about their mission and the types of volunteer work available. The event attracted more than 150 visitors from The Hague region. Many of the attendees were interested in volunteering for the first time, while others were looking for new opportunities. We were honoured to have Jan van Zanen, the mayor of The Hague, open the event with a welcome address to the international community. International volunteers often have a great deal of knowledge and expertise to make a significant contribution to society, said Jan van Zanen. The mayor highlighted the contribution of voluntary work to the strength of the city and thanked those willing to volunteer. Besides the booths representing local non-profits, there were two workshops for the attendees willing to make a career transition or find new opportunities. Elena Mellara gave a presentation on how to use use volunteering and internships as leverage for job success, followed by free one-on-one CV advice power meetings. Another highlight of the event was the presentation on how volunteering can sharpen your current skills and impact your professional life by Tetyana Benzeroual, Project Lead of Volunteer The Hague. Feedback The October edition of the Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair was a great success, with many participants expressing gratitude for the chance to come together and make a positive impact on their community. The event showcased the many ways that volunteering can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience for people of all ages and walks of life. It goes without saying that the Mix & Match Fair was also a fantastic opportunity to meet other expats and share experiences and tips about living in The Hague region. All in all, 92% of the attendees rated the event as “Very Good” and “Good”, and 69% reported that they intend to make use of the information they received at the event immediately. Some testimonials “There was a great amount of diversity in what was being offered, it did feel like there was something for everyone” “Very well-organised and inspiring” “I appreciated the enthusiasm of the people working and volunteering for the organizations represented” Save the date The next edition of the Mix & Match Volunteer Job Fair will take place on the 13th of May at The Social Hub. We look forward to welcoming you there!

 Thursday, 19 May was a very special day for us at Volunteer The Hague: After two long years of pandemic restrictions, a sense of normalcy has finally returned to our lives, and in part to celebrate this, we were thrilled to finally be able to hold an in-person event again as part of our continued mission to serve our local expat and international community! The event was held at The Hague Humanity Hub's fantastic events space, which was a perfect venue for our attendees to mix and mingle with other local internationals, as well as with representatives from nearly 30 local NGOs and service organizations in attendance! These organizations serve a wide range of interests, including organizations devoted to the enforcement of human rights, refugee and migrant support, arts and culture promotion, animal care, multiculturalism, and elderly and child care. (A full list of the organizations in attendance may be found at the end of this article.) And with over 100 attendees joining us, the event was a huge success! Our attendees spent their time during the three-hour event checking out the various tables set up by the representatives of the organizations in attendance. The reps spoke about their organizations' missions, current activities, and the benefits they offer their volunteers, and our attendees were able to ask questions and exchange contact information. It was a thrill to see everyone's enthusiasm for getting involved and bettering the local community. It was also great to see so many fantastic connections being made between attendees as well, and we hope this was the beginning of new friendships and support systems for each other! We also had several speakers as part of our program. Gerko Viseé from The Hague International Centre gave an insightful and informative talk about the current state of the local job market, while VTH's very own project manager, Tetyana Benzoural, spoke about the benefits that volunteering can offer in terms of career goals and personal fulfillment. And to start off the event, we had PEP Director Fenna Noordermeer on hand to speak about PEP, VTH's mission within PEP, and how everyone has a valuable and unique role to play in volunteering activities in The Hague. Finally, VTH volunteers Gabriel and Reem were on hand to have a short conversation with Tetyana about their experience volunteering at various organizations in The Hague. The key takeaways from this: Volunteering is a great way to meet new friends and professional connections, beef up your current job skills, and gain brand new job skills for those looking to change careers. And according to them, volunteering has also been a great way for them to get to know The Hague itself - the types of organizations that operate in the city, community goals, and even local culture and language! We want to send our heartfelt thanks to Gerko for offering his insight and advice to support our community; to volunteers Gabriel and Reem for answering questions on stage; and to all of the attendees and organizations in attendance for making this a fun event where new friends and connections could be made. And a special thank you goes to the fantastic event volunteers who stepped up to help make this event a success! We very much look forward to offering more in-person events in the future! Organizations in Attendance: ACCESS - A foundation that relies on its English-speaking international and Dutch volunteers who enjoy helping others adjust to life in the Netherlands. AFS Nederland - an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides cross-cultural learning opportunities to impart knowledge, skills and understanding for a better and more peaceful world. Arm Of Love International - A non-profit dedicated to Making Change Possible and Sustainable for all by educating, protecting, and supporting children and other disadvantaged groups in developing countries. Centre for African Justice, Peace and Human Rights - a foundation devoted to promoting justice, peace and human rights through education, awareness, campaign, training, outreach (Legal / Medical) and capacity building in Africa. CoderDojo Den Haag - a free, open and local programming club for young people. Het Koorenhuis - a creative and cultural hotspot located in the center of The Hague in a monumental building with a rich history dating back to the 17th century. Mammarosa The Hague - a non-profit that supports women who are being treated for breast cancer and gives information about early detection in the Netherlands. Middin - a foundation dedicated to helping people with brain damage while helping them with their daily needs. NL Cares - a volunteer pooling organization focussing on flexible volunteer work through social events, online volunteer agenda en corporate impact programs. Ocan - a 36 years old foundation committed to improving the position and advocacy of the Caribbean Dutch and related groups. Popradar Den Haag - the former Haags Pop Centrum, is an organization that provides a lively and diverse pop scene in The Hague. Positive News Foundation - a young foundation that connects uplifting news articles with people looking for positive news. Present Den Haag - a non-profit specialized in collaboration with all the professional welfare and mental healthcare organizations of The Hague and surroundings. Reach & Teach - a foundation that aims to assist the integration of newcomers (status holders, asylum seekers, and migrants) in The Hague region by offering Dutch and English classes, buddy systems, and social events. Saúde da Floresta - a foundation dedicated to helping the indigenous Amazone people of Brasil. The Hague International Centre a point of contact for international staff of organizations and companies in The Hague region. The Hungry Mind - a volunteer-run community centre for internationally-minded people. Together International - a foundation with the mission to design and implement solidarity projects addressing the socio-economic situation that emerged from the Covid-19 international humanitarian crisis. Vereniging Humanitas Home-Start - a project that offers support, practical help and friendship to parents by trained volunteers with parenting experience. Vier het Leven - a foundation that helps to realize life-changing events for the elderly. Vitalis - a foundation that matches a young person in need to an adult volunteer, to form a caring interaction that will promote the positive development of the young person. VTV Thuismaatjes - an organization that supports people with disabilities to participate in daily life activities, such as walks, sports, going to the movies and having positive social contact with others. Wijkz - a welfare organization for the residents of the Hague, to inform them about activities, voluntary jobs, support in the neighborhood and give practical help where needed. Wool for Warmth - a non-profit dedicated to collecting wool and organizing knitting groups that knit for the homeless. WWF - active in more than 100 countries and on 6 continents, this foundation does everything it can to protect and restore nature.

 This past Thursday, VTH once again held our popular Mix & Match Networking Event & Volunteer Job Fair - our first event after the summer holidays! This was a bit of a special "hybrid" event for us, as it was the first time since the start of the pandemic that the VTH team was back in the office together. It was so wonderful to run an event from PEP headquarters and be around one another again! And practically, running the event from a centralized location (as opposed to our own kitchen tables) was very convenient for us. In addition to the VTH team, we were joined virtually by representatives from 12 local non-profits and NGOs (whose names and descriptions can be found at the end of this post), as well as over 160 attendees! For two hours, our attendees mixed and mingled with each other and with the organizational representatives in Zoom breakout rooms - and from what we saw, many positive and fruitful connections were made! To start off the event, our fantastic speaker (and longtime friend of VTH) Vassia Sarantopoulou of the mental health support organization AntiLoneliness was on hand to give a short presentation on how to cope with constant change in our lives. Considering everything that's happened in the world over the last 18 months, this is both a timely and necessary topic. We will definitely hold more networking events and workshops in the future, so please stay tuned for more announcements. But for those of you unable to attend this event last Thursday, here is a quick summary of the important points from Vassia's presentation. We hope you'll find them as helpful to your own personal journeys as we have! Strategies for Coping with Life Changes Vassia started off her presentation by walking us through the different types of changes we experience in life: transitions and losses, of course, but also changes that we ourselves initiate, such as new habits. It's these types of changes that Vassia focused on during her presentation - self-initiated change for the better. Strangely, our brains have a bias against change because they prefer patterns and stability; they even resist positive changes! But this resistance is normal; uncertainty is registered in our brain as an error - as danger - because any change is a type of loss. But being prepared and framing change in terms of a win instead of a loss are key skills to learn in order to cope. According to psychology theory, there are stages of self-change: Pre-contemplation - where a person begins to think about change but has a bias towards resisting the change Contemplation - where a person begins to see the value of the upcoming change Preparation - finding the "why" of the change, preparing one's environment, and preparing one's mindsent Action - initiating the change itself Maintenance - keeping up the desired change going forward Maintenance is the toughest stage, but Vassia introduced strategies such as journaling, regular (re-)evaluation, and self-forgiveness as methods to keep up this maintenance. And, of course, rewarding oneself in order to keep up your motivation to sustain beneficial changes. Finally, Vassia made the very important point that consistent small changes are just as (and perhaps more) important than making huge changes in one's life. These changes tend to be easier to implement and have the potential to have the greatest rewards over time. We want to thank Vassia for attending our event and offering her insight and support to our community. We can't wait to hear from her again at a future event! Organizations in Attendance: Expatriate Archive Centre – A local historical organization whose mission is to preserve documents and materials related to local expat history. Stek - Den Haag Wereldhuis/The Hague World House – An information and advisory centre, with the aim of empowering undocumented migrants to make well-informed decisions. NL Cares – A volunteer pooling organization focussing on flexible volunteer work through social events, online volunteer agenda en corporate impact programs. Museon – A culture and science museum in The Hague for children and adults. Kessler Stichting – A homeless care organization serving The Hague and the surrounding region. Ga Den Haag – A group of four foundations focused on tours and group packages with enthusiastic volunteers showing the best from The Hague. WoonZorgcentra Haaglanden (WZH) – A care organization dedicated to providing guidance in the case of dementia, physical disorders and NAH. Chikara Cambodia – A foundation that combines education and enviromental projects in Cambodia. Muzee Scheveningen – A history and culture museum of the fishermans village Scheveningen. Stichting tot behoud van de Historische Buitenplaats Ockenburgh – An organization that originated from a citizens' initiative, in which about 100 volunteers are actively divided over different groups and projects. Reach&Teach - A non-profit organization that offers free Dutch and English language courses, as well as provides workshops and events to help facilitate the integration process of newcomers within Dutch society. Centre for African Justice Peace and Human Rights - A foundation that engages in promoting justice, peace and human rights through education, awareness, campaign, training, outreach(Legal/Medical) and capacity building in Africa. Stichting Aquarius – A foundation aiming to move the 6th Internationale Jeugd Film Festival (Int. Youth Film Festival) from Rotterdam to The Hague.

On 11 May 2021, we held our first Mix & Match Networking Event & Volunteer Job Fair of 2021 after quite a long hiatus! The hiatus was necessary while we spent the first few months of this year designing our new website. But running events for our fantastic expat community is one of our favorite activities, and we really missed it! And we were excited to see that there's still a great demand for these events, as we were joined by 220 attendees in our Zoom networking space, along with representatives from 18 participating local organizations! To start off the event, Volunteer The Hague's very own Project Manager Tetyana Benzeroual gave a short presentation titled, "How Volunteering Can Benefit You Professionally," where she spoke about how to merge your volunteering interests with your professional goals, and leverage any volunteering experience in order to advance your current career or gain new skills in order to find new employment or a new career. After Tetyana's presentation, each participating organization was given an opportunity to do a short pitch, where they spoke about their organization's mission, goals, current volunteering opportunities, and the types of skills they are looking for in potential volunteers. For two hours after the pitches, attendees had the chance to network and exchange information and ideas - as well as contact info - in each organization's virtual booth. Thanks to Zoom's ability to host breakout rooms in addition to the main virtual networking space, participants were able to speak with each organization's representative so that they could speak one-on-one, ask questions, and exchange information easily and directly. And we were so happy to see our ex-pat attendees chatting with one another and exchanging contact info as well! We love that these networking events not only help expand people's professional networks but also their social networks as well! Below you will find a list of the organizations that registered for the event, as well as a brief description of each and their contact info. Please take a look and if you want more information about their mission or current opportunities, feel free to contact the organizations directly! We want to sincerely thank all those who were able to attend this event! Now that we've gotten back into the swing of things with our events, we'll be hosting more in the near future, so make sure to keep an eye out for our newsletters and event announcements. We very much hope to see you at a future event! Organizations in Attendance: Bewoners Platform Wateringse Veld – A non-profit that offers participation in neighborhood safety, traffic, connections with neighbors, networks and much more. Biblionef - A not-profit that gives new and culturally diverse children's books to teachers and children, schools and community, and libraries worldwide so that every child can discover the joy of reading. Centre for African Justice, Peace and Human Rights – A foundation that conducts legal outreach, provides education, creates awareness, offers training, organizes campaigns, and hosts events to create a better Africa under the concepts of Justice, Peace and Human Rights in Africa. Delft MaMa - A foundation that reaches out to the local international community and offers a helping hand to parents. Expatriate Archive Centre - A local historical organization whose mission is to preserve documents and materials related to local expat history. Gezond Natuur Wandelen - Offers walking with mostly elderly in nature. NICC – A foundation that manages a wide range of material on international cooperation and is committed to making experiences with international cooperation and sustainable development more transparent and insightful. niKetan - Provides high-quality care and education to children with complex disabilities in Bangladesh. NL Cares - A volunteer pooling organization focussing on flexible volunteer work through social events, online volunteer agenda en corporate impact programs. Present Den Haag - A volunteer pooling organization, connecting volunteers with organizations who need them. Stichting Union Cultural - A local community garden bringing people of all ages together to make The Hague more green. Stek Den Haag - De Paardenberg - A community place in the middle of a multicultural neighborhood that organizes a large number of activities, such as, yoga, painting lessons, cycling lessons, meals, sewing lessons, and knitting & embroidery lessons. Stichting Businessclub The Hague Royals - The Hague's very own basketball club. Reach & Teach - A foundation that aims to assist the integration of newcomers (status holders, asylum seekers, and migrants) in The Hague region by offering Dutch and English classes, buddy systems, and social events. Terra Foundation – An initiative devoted to sustainable land management in developing countries. The Hague Road Runners (HRR) - The largest running club in the Hague area with approximately 800 members which organizes weekly training sessions, training weekends, group trips to runs in Holland and abroad and of course, social events. The Umbrella of Hope Foundation – A non-profit that works with minorities and vulnerable people in The Hague and Uganda. Zebra Welzijn – A foundation that supports inhabits in the Hague to participate in society and offers various volunteer activities.

Last Tuesday, 11 May, we held the latest edition of our Mix & Match Networking Event & Volunteer Job Fair after quite a long hiatus! The hiatus was necessary while we spent the first few months of this year designing our new website. But running events for our fantastic expat community is one of our favorite activities, and we really missed it! And we were excited to see that there's still a great demand for these events, as we were joined by 220 attendees in our Zoom networking space, along with representatives from 18 participating local organizations! To start off the event, Volunteer The Hague's very own Project Manager Tetyana Benzeroual gave a short presentation titled, "How Volunteering Can Benefit You Professionally," where she spoke about how to merge your volunteering interests with your professional goals, and leverage any volunteering experience in order to advance your current career or gain new skills in order to find new employment or a new career. After Tetyana's presentation, each participating organization was given an opportunity to do a short pitch, where they spoke about their organization's mission, goals, current volunteering opportunities, and the types of skills they are looking for in potential volunteers. For two hours after the pitches, attendees had the chance to network and exchange information and ideas - as well as contact info - in each organization's virtual booth. Thanks to Zoom's ability to host breakout rooms in addition to the main virtual networking space, participants were able to speak with each organization's representative so that they could speak one-on-one, ask questions, and exchange information easily and directly. And we were so happy to see our ex-pat attendees chatting with one another and exchanging contact info as well! We love that these networking events not only help expand people's professional networks but also their social networks as well! Below you will find a list of the organizations that registered for the event, as well as a brief description of each and their contact info. Please take a look and if you want more information about their mission or current opportunities, feel free to contact the organizations directly! We want to sincerely thank all those who were able to attend this event! Now that we've gotten back into the swing of things with our events, we'll be hosting more in the near future, so make sure to keep an eye out for our newsletters and event announcements. We very much hope to see you at a future event! Organizations in Attendance: Bewoners Platform Wateringse Veld – A non-profit that offers participation in neighborhood safety, traffic, connections with neighbors, networks and much more. Biblionef - A not-profit that gives new and culturally diverse children's books to teachers and children, schools and community, and libraries worldwide so that every child can discover the joy of reading. Centre for African Justice, Peace and Human Rights – A foundation that conducts legal outreach, provides education, creates awareness, offers training, organizes campaigns, and hosts events to create a better Africa under the concepts of Justice, Peace and Human Rights in Africa. Delft MaMa - A foundation that reaches out to the local international community and offers a helping hand to parents. Expatriate Archive Centre - A local historical organization whose mission is to preserve documents and materials related to local expat history. Gezond Natuur Wandelen - Offers walking with mostly elderly in nature. NICC – A foundation that manages a wide range of material on international cooperation and is committed to making experiences with international cooperation and sustainable development more transparent and insightful. niKetan - Provides high-quality care and education to children with complex disabilities in Bangladesh. NL Cares - A volunteer pooling organization focussing on flexible volunteer work through social events, online volunteer agenda en corporate impact programs. Present Den Haag - A volunteer pooling organization, connecting volunteers with organizations who need them. Stichting Union Cultural - A local community garden bringing people of all ages together to make The Hague more green. Stek Den Haag - De Paardenberg - A community place in the middle of a multicultural neighborhood that organizes a large number of activities, such as, yoga, painting lessons, cycling lessons, meals, sewing lessons, and knitting & embroidery lessons. Stichting Businessclub The Hague Royals - The Hague's very own basketball club. Reach & Teach - A foundation that aims to assist the integration of newcomers (status holders, asylum seekers, and migrants) in The Hague region by offering Dutch and English classes, buddy systems, and social events. Terra Foundation – An initiative devoted to sustainable land management in developing countries. The Hague Road Runners (HRR) - The largest running club in the Hague area with approximately 800 members which organizes weekly training sessions, training weekends, group trips to runs in Holland and abroad and of course, social events. The Umbrella of Hope Foundation – A non-profit that works with minorities and vulnerable people in The Hague and Uganda. Zebra Welzijn – A foundation that supports inhabits in the Hague to participate in society and offers various volunteer activities.

On Thursday, 3 December, Volunteer The Hague hosted our final virtual networking event of 2020: a Job Talk and Volunteer Job Fair!

On 15 October 2020, we hosted our very first VIRTUAL networking event! This event had originally been scheduled to be held at The Hague Tech in person, but the worsening COVID-19 situation forced us to move our event online.

Volunteer The Hague has grown so much this past year - all thanks to you! Because of our amazing international volutneers and all of the inspiring nonprofits in The Hague, our community - and the world - is truly a better place. Each "Mix & Match" Networking Event has only become more successful as time has gone on, and we have been able help match dozens of nonprofit organizations with hundreds of volutneers since we began these events a few years ago.

Our final Mix & Match Networking Event of the year was hosted on November 14 and was a resounding success. Over 100 expats living and working in The Hague area attended, eager to get to know the many fantastic organizations with volunteering opportunities. Our keynote speaker Vassia Sarantopoulou of AntiLonliness spoke about the importance of self-reliance in reaching one's goals

The fifth and the last edition of 2017's Mix & Match networking event took place on November 1st at the Humanity House Museum. We had 110 internationals and eight organizations participating in the event. The event was a success owing to the participants and the organisations’ presence.

It was a lovely evening and lots of connections were made between the organisations and attendees. Our favourite part was meeting and networking with the new and old guests together with the local non-profit organisations. It was an amazing evening with wonderful people in a great atmosphere. Our guests went home learning that there is something to do for everyone, acknowledging that those who can, do. And those who can do more, volunteer.

In an interactive session Tessa introduced everyone to the seven easy steps about "How to brand and express yourself". Around 12 local not-for-profit organisations came along us last year and had the opportunity to share about themselves and different ways internationals in The Hague can get involved.