Meeting up with people you meet on the internet is exciting for many people. To make this as safe as possible, we recommend that you call each other beforehand.

Would you rather not meet at home right away? Then meet in a public place such as a library, community center or a café nearby. Let friends or family know that you have made an appointment or bring someone with you.

When contacting you, ask for a legal ID or LinkedIn profile to verify that your contact is who they say they are. An honest person will have no problem with this. You can also ask for a Certificate of Good Conduct. Read more about the VOG on the website of the Ministry of Security and Justice .

If you have found a match through this platform, we will ask you how the match was. You can send a thank you or a recommendation and indicate with stars how the match went. This is the profile of a participants of this platform. This way you know that this person has already helped people or asked for help and whether this went well.

Do you feel that a particular person has wrong intentions? Contact us , we will be happy to help you.

A general tip that applies to all your internet use: keep it safe. A few practical tips:

• Make sure your computer and internet browser are up to date. This way you can use the website properly, quickly and safely.
• Do you use a computer in a public place? Do not forget to log out after using the website.
• Change your password regularly.

When a user logs in to Oosterhoutvoorelkaar, we check the data entered in the profile. In the event of incompleteness and doubts, the user will be contacted and the profile will (possibly) be closed temporarily. When a user is affiliated with an organization or association, you will see this reflected in his/her profile. Self-employed persons must display a valid Chamber of Commerce number in the profile.

Oosterhoutvoorelkaar checks all posted help requests, help offers and all messages on a daily basis. We intervene in activities that do not comply with our general terms and conditions or rules of conduct. The relevant user(s) will always be informed about this.

Oosterhoutvoorelkaar works closely with care, welfare and voluntary organizations at the local level. In the municipalities where we have a cooperation agreement, local agreements are made that organizations (care/welfare) offer support to people with a request for help. If desired, they can help find and select volunteers and thus further guarantee a reliable match.

Questions, comments or feedback about Oosterhoutvoorelkaar are always welcome. You can reach us here. NLvoorelkaar is also easily accessible: from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. By e-mail or by telephone on 088-8000603 (free, you only pay your usual calling costs). Also contact our helpdesk if you have an unpleasant experience with another participant of this platform. In this way we work together on a safe and friendly platform.

As a user of Oosterhoutvoorelkaar, your privacy is protected by us:
- Only your first name and the numbers of your zip code (ie at neighborhood level, not at street level) are visible to other users. The zip code is necessary to know in which city or district you are requesting or offering help and in order to realize matches.
- You choose whether you want to be visible with your request or offer of help, or whether you prefer to respond to someone else. We know from experience that posting a request for help more often leads to a response.
- Messages between users are encrypted via the website. An e-mail address is therefore not released, only if you want to.

Read all details about privacy in the privacy statement.

We also check all registered users weekly. This is based on age and incomplete accounts. In case of questions, the user will be contacted and a user can (temporarily) be placed on inactive until the necessary data has been obtained.

Oosterhoutvoorelkaar takes immediate action the moment a user violates the terms and conditions or rules of conduct. When we believe there is a material risk of unsafe or unpleasant situations, we remove all content and accounts. If necessary, we also work together with organizations and our local partners.

In case of a match between two users, we always ask to write a thank you or recommendation. These references can be read in the profile of the users. Have you found a nice or special match yourself? So always leave a reference. Nice for others to receive and useful for other users!

An accident is just around the corner. Fortunately, in most cases you are insured through your own (liability) insurance. Always contact your insurance company beforehand to make a report and indicate that you are doing voluntary work for someone else. This way you are insured free of charge in these kinds of situations.

When you start working as a volunteer for an organization, in most cases you are insured for the risks and liabilities that come with performing the tasks. This insurance is arranged nationally by the Association of Dutch Municipalities. Always inquire during an introductory meeting how this is arranged at the relevant organization.