Strengthening Voluntary Engagement With the Community: Supporting a Municipality in Addressing Volunteer Shortages Using Appreciative Inquiry

Strengthening Voluntary Engagement With the Community: Supporting a Municipality in Addressing Volunteer Shortages Using Appreciative Inquiry

February 2026
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ABSTRACT

Local governments in the Netherlands are facing multiple societal challenges such as social inclusion, equal opportunities, and (mental) health care, and rely on volunteer organisations as crucial and indispensable partners at a time when there is a nationwide trend of fewer people committing to volunteering on a long-term basis, particularly amongst younger generations. How can people be inspired to engage as volunteers?

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Author: Jeroen Hellings

Jeroen Hellings is a consultant, designer, and team coach at Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company. His work focuses on complex and participative change processes in which people actively shape change.

Contact: jhellings@kessels-smit.com

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Author: Saskia Tjepkema

Saskia Tjepkema is a partner at Kessels & Smit, the Learning Company, a member of the supervisory board of NSO–CNA Academy for School Leadership and a co-publisher of AI Practitioner. Her co-authored book Appreciative Inquiry as a Daily Leadership Practice was published by Taos Institute Publishers in 2020.

Contact: stjepkema@kessels-smit.com

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Author: Ilse Boersma

Ilse is an entrepreneur, consultant, and coach. She works from a co-creative approach to change processes at organisational, team, and individual level, and is particularly drawn to societal challenges and meaningful change.

Contact: iboersma@kessels-smit.com

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