Brussels, we’re celebrating the International Volunteer Day on 5 December.

Volunteering changed my life. In my 20s, I volunteered for the largest student organisation in Europe, Erasmus Student Network. This experience gave me skills I keep using every day, a chance to travel around Europe, lifelong friends, and a constant urge to give back. I feel that the Christmas period makes a lot of us stop and reflect on how we can help those most in need. For 2026, one of my resolutions will be to join one of the organisations listed in this newsletter and contribute to the community that has been there for me for almost six years.

The issue you are reading will be the last for 2025. I debated a lot with myself whether to still publish on 17 December, but with so many things going on, I actually need to catch a bit of a break before 2026. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support this autumn. It really means the world that you choose to open my emails every two weeks and engage with the content. In 2026, we are going to go bigger. I will be asking you for your recommendations, I will interview local business owners for theirs, and in spring 2026, you can look forward to community events. But until then, I wish you happy holidays with your loved ones and a wonderful New Year!

In this issue:

  • ⛑️ 10 volunteer opportunities in Brussels

  • 🎧 17 Brussels-based podcasts for your next listen

  • 🧀 9 places with the best raclette

  • 🗓️ Upcoming events in Brussels (3-16 December)

  • 🎥 Content creator in the spotlight: Kasia Kowalewska

10 volunteer opportunities in Brussels

As mentioned in the intro, I will always be a very vocal advocate of volunteering. And if you’re not Belgian, but have lived here for a while and plan on doing it for some time longer, then there’s no better way to give back to the community.

Whether you want to give English lessons, plant trees, cook meals for refugees, or take care of animals, here’s a list of 10 organisations that will welcome your help.

  • Serve the City - this organisation, which has existed in Brussels since 2005, works with the homeless, asylum seekers and refugees, the elderly, persons with disabilities, children in need, and victims of abuse. Serve the City offers weekly volunteering projects, as well as one-on-one opportunities, and has even developed an app called ServeNow to help you easily register for volunteering shifts.

  • Give A Day - as written on their website, this platform calls itself “the Tinder of volunteering”, where it matches volunteers with organisations. They work with local municipalities, and you can also get your workplace involved in a good cause.

  • Caritas - one of the most famous non-profits, Caritas focuses on helping asylum seekers and refugees in Brussels. By registering as a volunteer, you can help this target group by finding them housing, organising welcoming activities, fundraising for projects, or serving directly at their reception centres.

  • BelRefugees - another organisation helping refugees. You can dedicate your time to cooking in shelters, clothing distribution, donation collection, language classes, collective shelter, sister’s house, or organising cultural and sports activities.

  • Community Help Service - an organisation I’ve already shared in this newsletter before, CHS provides vital and life-changing emotional support to thousands of people in Belgium through its 24/7 Helpline. This helpline is manned by volunteers, and you can become one of them. But if you don’t feel up for that role, don’t worry; you can also join their office team.

  • Veeweyde - if you are an animal lover, then you may have already been looking for an animal shelter to help out at. With this one, you can provide invaluable support to its staff and contribute directly to the well-being of the animals.

  • Jane Goodall Institute - as the name suggests, this organisation will be the right fit for you if you are passionate about nature protection. You can sign up to be on the tree planting team, Roots & Shoots team (teaching kids and youngsters about the importance of nature - in French or Dutch), the support team, the comms team, the fundraising team or the advocacy team.

  • Brussels Childbirth Trust - founded all the way back in 1978, this organisation has always been 100% run by volunteers. You can check in with them about different opportunities as a newsletter subscriber or a member.

  • Oxfam - you may have seen their charity shops around Brussels. Oxfam seeks volunteers for the sales team, the product management team, and the delivery team. Besides this, you can also apply to organise awareness workshops.

  • BabbelBike (in French) - I saved the most original one for last. You can get your exercise in and offer help at once by riding a special bike with the elderly, people with reduced mobility, people with disabilities, or isolated people. If you’re an expat/migrant/foreigner (whatever you want to call yourself) and miss your grandparents back home, this is an excellent way to create a smile on elderly people’s faces.

17 Brussels-based podcasts for your next listen

I am a sucker for a good podcast. I, who didn’t even have a Spotify account until the end of 2020 😅. And as you could tell by now, this newsletter is not only about showcasing to you the best places in Brussels, but also the best people in this city.

So I went and asked LinkedIn for some Brussels-based podcasts. And oh, DID the community deliver. I was honestly surprised by how many podcasts existed here, and I had had no idea about them. So without further ado, here’s a list of 17 podcasts made in Brussels, divided by their topic. In the end, I decided to only include podcasts run by individuals here, but check the full list in the post linked above.

Beyond the Brussels bubble/Lifestyle

Leadership

Politics & policy

Multidisciplinary

And if you are getting an itch just by reading this and want to record your own podcast, you may want to check these podcast studios:

9 places with the best raclette

OK, I apologise to all my lactose-intolerant and vegan readers, but how could I not mention this delicacy, which is in its prime season right now?!

I have to give full credit to visit.brussels for this suggestion. In their article, they describe in detail which places you should visit for this cheese marvel. But since this is a time-saving newsletter, I summed up all their recommendations for you here (with reviews higher than 4.0), from the cheapest to the most expensive:

Upcoming events

  • 📅 4-6 December: Marché de Noël/Kerstmarkt - Upcycling & 2De-Hands @CPAS Bruxelles-Ville & Atelier Boutique (link)

  • 📅 4-21 December: Le Popup de Noël 2025 @2 Rue du Prévot (link)

  • 📅 5-6 December: Music Chapel Festival @Flagey (link)

  • 📅 5-7 December: Xmas Market - 15 Belgian Creators @Harmon House (link)

  • 📅 7 December: Advent Pop-Up Market @Vertigo (link)

  • 📅 7 and 14 December: La Tricoterie Christmas Market @La Tricoterie (link)

  • 📅 9 December: The POP Collective: 1st open meet-up: Winter edition @Kamilou (link)

  • 📅 9-10 December: Belgian Italian Jazz Festival @Istituto Italiano di Cultura (link)

  • 📅 10 December: Christmas Market @Aspria Louise (link)

  • 📅 11 December: Slow Fashion Talk & Walk @Gallerie Bortier (check Tena’s Instagram for more info; she is one of my subscribers!)

  • 📅 11-14 December: Marché de Noël Durable - Slow Ho Ho #8 @Tirour de Lou (link)

  • 📅 11-14 December: Marché de Noël de l’Os à Moelle @l’Os à Moelle (link)

  • 📅 11 December-4 January: Indoor Winter Fair @Gare Maritime (link)

  • 📅 11 December-21 March: Luminiscence @St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral (link)

  • 📅 12-14 December: BOOM de Noël créatif @UR Square (link)

  • 📅 12-14 December: BE Christmas HERE @BE-HERE (link)

  • 📅 13 December: Christmas Designers Market @Halles Saint-Géry (link)

  • 📅 13-14 December: Couleur Café Club @K1 (Kanal) (link)

  • 📅 13-14 December: Vente de Noël @l’Usine (link)

  • 📅 13-14 December: Christmas Market @Tram Museum (link)

  • 📅 13-21 December: Jingle Bulles @Comic Art Museum (link)

  • 📅 14 December: Fosbury & Sons’ Xmas Market @Fosbury & Sons Boitsfort (link)

  • 📅 16 December: English Stand-Up @Kings Comedy Club (link)

Content creator in the spotlight: Kasia Kowalewska

I first stumbled upon Kasia on LinkedIn; I believe she came highly recommended by another connection. And soon, I could see why. Kasia spent many years working for different EU institutions, but at the end of 2024, she decided to go solo and become a Social Media & Communication consultant. On LinkedIn, she shares a lot of tips on how to do and not to do your social media, often accompanied by great graphic work. If you work in the EU institutions, non-profits or associations, you can book Kasia for consultations, training or a coaching programme. To find it more, visit her new beautiful website or subscribe to her newsletter (linked on the website).

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