Goeree-Overflakkee will replace its planned volunteer festival with digital gift-card awards this year, offering up to 1,750 resident volunteers a EUR 15 benefit through Cadeaubonnen.nl. The Dutch municipality announced the decision on October 13, saying it wants to reach more volunteers than through the event planned for early November in Sommelsdijk. [S01]
The volunteer voucher has its own eligibility and delivery route
The new award is distinct from the municipality’s 2026 mantelzorgcompliment for unpaid caregivers. The volunteer scheme uses a EUR 15 choice voucher, while the caregiver scheme pays EUR 150 directly into an eligible caregiver’s bank account. The two benefits recognise different roles under separate conditions; they are not interchangeable options that every applicant may select. [S01] [S02]
Two separate municipal recognition benefits in 2026
Published award amounts for different programmes in Goeree-Overflakkee, with different eligibility and payment methods.
EUR
Tap or hover for details. All values are also available in the data table.
Sources
Distinct schemes and qualifying conditions, not alternatives available to every applicant. No combined entitlement, measure of work value, total programme budget or redemption comparison is implied.
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| Category | Published individual award |
|---|---|
| Volunteer: choice voucher | 15 EUR |
| Caregiver: bank transfer | 150 EUR |
Volunteer applications open on November 4 and close on December 7, the national volunteer day, unless the allocation is exhausted earlier. Applicants must live in the municipality, use DigiD, provide an email address and identify where they volunteer. After registration they receive a personal digital voucher by email, exchangeable for one of the 250 gift cards described in the announcement. [S01]
At full allocation, 1,750 awards of EUR 15 represent EUR 26,250 of face value, calculated from the published limit. That figure is not a disclosed procurement fee, total programme cost or completed spending result. The municipality has not published an uptake comparison showing that the change has already reached more volunteers. [S01]
The caregiver payment has a different application process. The person receiving care must live in Goeree-Overflakkee and apply on the caregiver’s behalf between September 15 and October 31, 2026. The caregiver must be registered with Stichting ZIJN, provide at least eight hours of unpaid care a week for more than three months, and meet the municipality’s additional care conditions. Limits apply per care-recipient household and per caregiver; decisions are communicated in November. [S02]
Both municipal pages express a preference for local spending. The volunteer announcement does not establish an exclusively local merchant restriction, and the provider describes a catalogue covering more than 250 brands. The caregiver payment goes directly to the recipient’s account. These are different delivery mechanisms, so the new volunteer voucher does not replace the caregiver payment or prove that its value will stay within local shops. [S01] [S02] [S03]
The municipality is still considering recognition arrangements for later years. Its 2026 choice replaces this year’s planned volunteer festival, without establishing a permanent gift-card policy for every future event. Provider fees, voucher redemption results and the programme-specific redemption deadline are not disclosed in the volunteer announcement. [S01]
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Suzie Elis
Suzie Elis covers gift card products, digital gifting and distribution for Gift Card News.