Chairman of the Wageningen Community Gardens Working Group

Wanted: Chair of the Wageningen Community Gardens Working Group

The Wageningen Allotment Gardens Working Group is an informal, active, and diverse group that addresses and implements the interests, wishes, advice, and ideas of and for the broader allotment garden community in Wageningen. The goal is to contribute, together with the broader allotment garden community, to the core qualities of Wageningen and sustainability in the broadest sense. The working group consists of approximately eight people, including representatives of allotment gardeners, allotment garden managers, and landowners of allotment gardens (and allotment complexes). There is a close relationship with the Wageningen Allotment Gardens Foundation (SWE). We operate in an accessible and transparent manner, engaging in dialogue with the broader allotment garden community, the municipality, the TAWE advisory committee, SWE, and other relevant organizations. The working group was established in January 2025 from a previous working group (2023-2025) that drafted an advisory report and guidelines for allotments in Wageningen.

About the position of chairman (volunteer position)

The working group meets approximately every three months. The working group chair organizes and chairs the meetings. In addition, the chair represents the allotment garden community on the SWE Advisory Board, which meets monthly on Thursday evenings with the SWE board. If this dual role proves too much or unsuitable for the new chair, we will try to find a solution within the Allotment Gardens Working Group. The chair can also, of course, contribute to the implementation of various working group projects if there is interest.

We are looking for someone who:

· Has an affinity with allotments and enjoys informal collaboration.

· Has an open attitude and is good at connecting people and different perspectives.

· Preferably some knowledge and experience with policy processes, participation, building support and working from the bottom up.

· Depending on the content, there is room for an average time investment of approximately 6 hours per month.

The Working Group endorses the motto "Nature-friendly and climate-resilient gardening with pleasure and for a beautiful, sustainable Wageningen" and is open to developments in methods for nature-friendly and climate-resilient gardening.

The position offers a great opportunity to be involved in the allotment garden scene in this unique area of Wageningen and, together with a fun, enthusiastic group of people, contribute to the allotment garden community.

If you are or know someone who would like to take on this challenge, please let us know by email at werkgroepvolkstuinen@gmail.com . Any suggestions are welcome.