Volunteering opportunities at ACCESS
What is ACCESS?
Established in 1986 as the Administrative Committee to Coordinate English Speaking Services – ACCESS – in short, was the grass-root initiative of the members of the international community in the Netherlands who felt the pressing need for an organisation that would answer their needs, provide peer support and help cope with the challenges of expatriate living.
Today ACCESS has evolved into a dynamic volunteer, not-for-profit organisation that serves the needs and interests of the international community, namely by:
- providing information and guidance, free of charge, to the international community through our helpdesk, website and the expat centres we work from
- fostering cultural diversity, facilitating connections and encouraging growth for our volunteers, and
- providing services to the community through our childbirth courses, on-call Counsellors and training network.
Volunteering
Volunteering for ACCESS is a rewarding way of using your existing skills and adding to your experience during your stay in the Netherlands. Furthermore, it provides you with an opportunity to meet people, create community and give back.
What are the benefits?
- Work in a professionally-run, international organisation
- Provide support to the international community in the Netherlands
- Develop interpersonal skills
- Improve existing skills while learning new ones
- Be a part of a creative team
- Use spare time constructively helping others
- Benefit from our extensive resources
- Meet new people and develop your network
Aishwarya Raman's experience
I moved to the Netherlands in 2019 when my husband found an opportunity that was hard to pass. Like most trailing spouses, I had to make the tough choice of leaving an established career behind as a HR professional but was also looking forward to a break and new experiences.
I came across ACCESS for the first time when I went for my registration appointment at the Hague International Centre. I found the ACCESS staff to be very warm and welcoming and eager to help. It was such a nice feeling to be received like that especially when you are new to the country! When my job search hit a roadblock, I decided to join ACCESS as a volunteer. It was the best decision I made! I got an opportunity to meet such wonderful and diverse people. It also provided me with opportunities to utilise my skills. When a position opened up within the organisation for a project manager role at the Expat Centre Leiden helpdesk, I applied and got through. It's been an amazing and enriching experience for me and I can't thank ACCESS enough for providing the opportunity!
Would you like to become a part of ACCESS? Find out about the joining process and apply now on their website.