Alzheimer’s Netherlands: working with 48 local chapters on one joint strategy

How do you develop a strategy that challenges both the professionals at the national office and the volunteers in the local chapters?
Contributed to this project
praatplaat alzheimer nederland

The challenge

Alzheimer Netherlands is dedicated to tackling one of the greatest challenges of our time: dementia. The number of people with dementia is expected to double in the next 20 years, reaching half a million.

Alzheimer Netherlands provides support, advocacy, and education to individuals with dementia, caregivers, and other directly involved parties. The national organization is currently developing a unified strategy for the coming years, in collaboration with all 48 local chapters across the country.

How do you create a clear, shared strategy that strengthens cohesion while still allowing room for regional differences?

48 Local chapters
4 Weeks
1 Strategy

A shared vision with room for local input

How do you develop a strategy that challenges both the professionals at the national office and the 3,500 volunteers in the local chapters? How do you guide a diverse group, with varying levels of digital proficiency? And how do you create space for the sometimes complex dynamics these differences bring? In other words: how do you build a shared narrative that fosters both connection and clarity, while also accommodating individual differences and needs?

Alzheimer Netherlands and Flatland jointly developed a process to co-create a unified strategy with all local chapters, focusing on regional support.

The underlying goal: strengthening mutual engagement.

Process for co-Creation and engagement

Exploring the Strategy

Flatland collaborated with the national office to outline the strategy and define five key focus areas. In breakout groups, the local chapters discussed how to translate these directions into concrete actions. Key questions were addressed, such as: How can you inspire the public to learn more about dementia? What supports or hinders you in this effort?

Digital co-creation sessions

During the co-creation sessions, all chapters were given the opportunity to contribute. Flatland facilitated the technical and moderating aspects, allowing Alzheimer Netherlands to focus entirely on the content.

Consolidation

In this step, representatives from Alzheimer Nederland and the local chapters met again, focusing on bringing together the ideas, insights and priorities that had emerged during the earlier sessions.

Visualization creates togetherness

During the sessions, participants shared countless creative ideas, such as organizing training sessions for cashiers, taxi drivers, and hairdressers to equip them with the knowledge to interact appropriately with people with dementia. They also discussed the structural involvement of experts by experience in local chapters, starting in 2025. Inspirational practical examples were highlighted as well, such as a tea session in a mosque and organizing a global cooking café, both aimed at fostering inclusivity and strengthening connections with people with dementia. These examples inspired other chapters and sparked new insights.

Visualization played a crucial role in the process. By visually capturing ideas and perspectives, the visions of all participants were made visible, fostering a sense of unity. This approach ensured equality and gave every participant, including those who are less vocal, a recognizable voice. The visual representations ensured that ideas were not simply stacked but developed further in coherence. This process encouraged participants to refine and build upon each other’s ideas, leading to innovative, collective insights. Visualizing abstract topics, such as inclusivity, made the theme more tangible, avoided getting stuck in semantic discussions, and helped the group work towards practical solutions and actions.

Thank you for the impressive drawings; they clearly illustrate what many of us wish for and aspire to.


Sieta Miedema
Voorzitter afdeling Friesland

Also ready to (re)shape a strategy?

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Contact
Yara Rietdijk
Visual Designer