Half of Flemish municipalities plan local volunteer corps

Half of all municipalities in Flanders have signed up to create local volunteer corps, the Flemish government has announced. So far, 141 municipalities have registered, according to Interior minister Hilde Crevits, who says the strong response shows that Flanders has “a warm heart for volunteering”.

The volunteer corps are designed to help towns respond quickly during emergencies such as floods, heatwaves or power cuts. Participants receive training on how crisis teams work, annual refresher courses and a first-aid qualification.

The plan gained momentum earlier this year through the Flemish defence strategy, which highlighted the need to strengthen local resilience. The government aims to train around 15,000 volunteers across Flanders. The initiative is supported by Belgian Red Cross Flanders and backed by 1 million euros in funding.

So far, 52 corps have already been set up, and 15 municipalities are offering first-aid training. Crevits says more will follow soon: “The engagement is enormous. Volunteer corps are popping up everywhere.”

The minister stresses that volunteers play an essential role in Flemish society, calling them “indispensable”.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele and Flemish vice-president and minister of the Interior and Society Hilde Crevits follow a training course by Belgian Red Cross Flanders © BELGA PHOTO JAN NAGELS}