How to Get Involved and Contribute to Leiden’s Well‑Being
Welcome to Ruth's Corner, a monthly column curated by our helpdesk professional Ruth to share with you her experience and expertise! This month it's all about getting involved and contributing to Leiden's well-being.
Having lived in Leiden for quite some time, I sometimes forget just how many ways there are to get involved, not just in my local neighbourhood, but also in Leiden’s policymaking and upcoming projects. With the local elections approaching, voting is certainly one way to participate, but it’s far from the only one.
If you’ve also been thinking about how to belong, connect, or make a meaningful contribution to your city, the suggestions below may help you find the right starting point.
Doe Mee participation panel
I first heard about the Doe Mee participation panel through the Leiden International Centre’s collaboration with Gemeente Leiden.
The Municipality wanted to better engage all residents, including internationals in their planning and decision-making.
The result is an online platform where you can read about the latest municipal proposals and share your input through questionnaires, polls, or discussions. You can even switch the interface to English, making it accessible to internationals who want to participate but may not feel fully confident in Dutch.
For me, joining Doe Mee has been a great way to feel involved in shaping how Leiden develops. It gives me, as an international, a genuine voice in the process.
Wijk Vereeniging. Get involved in your neighbourhood
Going along to your local buurthuis (community centre) is another good way to see how you could be involved in the community.
- whether that is joining an exercise class,
- teaching English to others
- computer lessons or
- even spending an afternoon helping clean up your local area.
This way you can meet new people in your area, practise your language skills or get involved in community events or actions. To find out more contact your local Buurthuis (community centre)
Volunteering. Help Others and make a difference.
With volunteering you can share your skills, your passions and enthusiasm. Consider getting involved in local initiatives such as:
- Practical help for people who are unable to do household jobs themselves
- An older person who needs help with their shopping or needs a prescription picking up
- or perhaps a neighbours child wants to improve their English or some other language you know.
Leiden events such as Leiden International Film Festival, Leiden Marathon, Dragon Boat Race, or the Night of Discovery also rely on volunteers. These events bring the city together, and joining in is a fun way to feel useful while building new connections. For more ideas and opportunities, see the volunteering link below.
If you have an idea that could improve your neighbourhood, big or small, you can suggest it to the Municipality. In some cases, your initiative may even qualify for local funding.
Final thoughts
Being involved is about belonging, contributing, and shaping the environment you live in. Leiden benefits immensely from its residents' contributions and willingness to help. Both lifelong residents but also new or international ones, we all have something to offer however small.
If you are also interested in finding out about the voting process and participating parties, read our page on the upcoming municipal elections and come along to our next Meet&Mingle, where you can meet some of the people behind the local government.
Useful links to check out
- Learn about your voting rights – See our page on voting in municipal elections.
- Join Doe Mee – The platform can be viewed in multiple languages.
- Explore volunteering opportunities – Find something that matches your interests.
- Have a good idea - Link for a good idea
- Meet&Mingle 12 March