In Gasselternijveen, the project Visiting buddies Gasselternijveen, of village cooperative De Brug, is so successful that volunteers are now waiting to offer help to lonely fellow villagers.
In January, residents of the village received a call to sign up as a buddy for someone who is lonely. Fifteen Gasselternijveners immediately reported themselves, after which a subsequent round of letters should result in lonely residents.
The first fifteen people have now found a buddy, but the success of the first round went round and round in the village. That again resulted in a pile of new volunteers. “They are now at home waiting for their buddy,” explains Piet Wolters of the village cooperative. “That is why we also call on people who feel lonely to report to the village counter.”
According to Wolters, a number of volunteers already know the buddy they talk to. “People decide for themselves how often they meet and they also decide what they are going to do. They can take a walk or play a game.”
He does want to warn about one thing, though. “You are not professional help. If you find people in psychological distress, you should not solve it as a volunteer, but it is allowed to observe. Then we can leave it to the professionals.”
Watch the conversation in Op Tjak with Piet Wolters below: