No question is too much for Sandra.

For the past year, Sandra Willemsen has been a trusted presence at the walk-in consultation hours of Samen055 in De Stolp (De Maten). Born and raised in the city, she passionately volunteers her time. "I’ve lived in Apeldoorn my entire life and now live in Zonnehoeve with my family. I’ve actually been doing volunteer work for a long time. It feels natural to me,” Sandra shares.

In addition to her job, she wanted something more. “I wanted to do something structured outside the house—something where you have a set routine and where you’re needed,” she explains. After reading an article about the walk-in consultation, she decided to reach out. After observing a few sessions, she knew this was the right fit for her.

A Wide Variety of Questions

The walk-in consultation is a place where residents can bring all kinds of questions. “Some people come with a clear question, while others walk in hesitantly after hearing somewhere that they could get help here,” Sandra explains. The questions are diverse. “From applying for benefits to help understanding complicated letters from various organizations. Sometimes it’s very practical, like requesting a city pass. Other times, the questions are more sensitive.”

Sandra recalls a young family who came in with their young child. “They walked in almost in tears because they had lost their job and were facing financial difficulties. I thought it was incredibly brave that they had taken the step to ask for help. We first let them settle in with a cup of coffee before we started assisting them,” she says. “I told them how courageous and commendable it was that they had come. Offering that sense of acknowledgment is so important.”

Support and Collaboration

As a volunteer, you don’t have to solve everything yourself. “Where possible, there are two volunteers present, and together we find an answer or decide to forward the question to the back office.”

The back office is always available to provide support. “We don’t have to make content-related decisions ourselves. That gives peace of mind. If I feel something is beyond my responsibility, I can escalate it to the professionals at Samen055,” Sandra explains. “For example, when someone needs to log in with their DigiD, which involves sensitive information, these cases always go to the professional.”

However, this doesn’t mean volunteers can’t help. On the contrary. “We assist people with filling out forms, explain how to register with Woonkeus Stedendriehoek, or activate a city pass. Sometimes someone comes in with a letter they don’t understand. Then we read through the letter together. Some letters are so unclear that even I have to read them three times to understand them,” Sandra shares.

A Listening Ear

In addition to practical help, the consultation also provides social support. “Sometimes people just come in for a chat. For some, it may be their only social contact of the day,” Sandra says. “There’s a lady who regularly stops by for a cup of coffee and a chat. She mainly comes for the interaction. Another example is a man who kept coming back with questions about his banking app. At a certain point, we realized there might be more going on. We discussed it with the back office, and eventually, contact was made with a senior advisor.”

Why Become a Volunteer?

Sandra hopes more people will join as volunteers. “If you enjoy interacting with a variety of people and offering practical help, this is a great opportunity,” she says. The sense of fulfillment is significant. “Sometimes you see someone leave with a smile on their face. Those are the moments when you think: this is why I do it.”

Her message to others? “If you’re looking for something where you can help people move forward without carrying all the responsibility yourself, this is ideal. And you’re never alone. There’s always a back office to rely on and a volunteer coordinator who provides support, training, and information about Apeldoorn’s social resources.”

The work is structured: “You know when you’re needed. It only takes me two hours a week, and then I’m truly done.”