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Strengthening Voluntary Engagement With the Community

Supporting a Municipality in Addressing Volunteer Shortages Using Appreciative Inquiry
By: Jeroen Hellings 3small 111787131206 Jeroen Hellings, Ilse Boersma, Saskia Tjepkema small 111784268324 Saskia Tjepkema - ; Source: AI Practitioner, Volume 28, Number 1   02-12-2026

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?

'AI Practitioner' is brought to the world by a partnership between the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry, and Kessels & Smit, The Learning Company. It is designed to highlight examples, case studies and research on strength-based approaches to change with special emphasis on Appreciative Inquiry.