New chair announced for Goede Doelen Nederland

Jan van Berkel has been elected chair of the Dutch Charity Branch Association Goede Doelen Nederland, succeeding Jan Jaap de Graeff, who announced his resignation from the position earlier this year.

Van Berkel co-founded Goede Doelen Nederland in 1995 and has been a member of the board since 2012. He has also been Director of Netherlands Leprosy Relief since 2009, combining his position with several other board memberships. Van Berkel began his career at Oxfam Novib. He later worked as a strategic (communications) consultant for various Dutch and Belgian NGOs.

Commenting on his election, Van Berkel called for the Dutch fundraising sector to place a greater emphasis on the social significance and impact of charities, and a move away from a focus on figures and guidelines.

He said: “It is both an honour and a challenge to have the opportunity to contribute to further bolstering the professional association in my new role as Chair. I see repositioning the branch association and the sector it represents as a worthy task. We need a shift of emphasis. From positioning the sector based on key figures, codes and guidelines to a sharper focus on the major social significance and impact of charities.”