Improving the volunteer journey

What happens when you apply design principles to a group that often remains under the radar: the volunteer? At Ronald McDonald House Nijmegen, volunteers are essentially the “employees” of the organisation. Yet their needs are often less visible. I led a design discovery process to better understand and support them.

Together with volunteers from all levels of the organisation, I mapped out their experiences in co-creation sessions. This resulted in a clear and widely supported overview of needs, ranging from structure and clarity to appreciation and practical tools. These insights helped the House prepare for a changing volunteer landscape: from the traditional, long-term volunteer to the more flexible, short-term volunteer of the future.

The outcome was more than just research findings. Volunteers felt heard and motivated, and the organisation gained a strong business case to invest in improvements. This project showed how design, even within a non-profit with limited resources, can strengthen processes, create buy-in, and guide people through change, ultimately supporting the mission of keeping families close to their seriously ill children during hospital treatment.

© Remco Homberg 2001 — 2025