Regarding questions received from outside The
Netherlands I would like to explain something about the volunteer driven social initiative Koffiekring Zaanstad. The name koffiekring refers to people sitting
together to drink their coffee. Zaanstad is the name of the town located not
far from Amsterdam. By the way between 1 and 2 million tourists are visiting
this area each year because of the open-air museum Zaanse Schans, with authentic
houses and windmills.
In 2013 I started to interview vulnerable people with
all kind of social problems. Many of them not able to meet the demands of
actual society, where they are confronted with complexity. They must handle the
rules surrounding social benefits and control their spending. Often resulting
in debts by the lack of good budgeting, addiction and the temptations of the
unlimited choice of products and services offered.
Especially for these groups a plan has been developed to transform social benefits and other supporting funds in a meaningful life. Direct payment turned into indirect payment. This is subject to further study.
In the meantime, the situation has worsened despite a so called upward trend of the economy. More and more people, not targeted before, enter the criteria for our attention. The actual money and profit driven system infected practically all sectors such a labour market, healthcare, housing etc.
We see the first results of automation, the ‘silent’
revolution. From mail sorting machines, completely automated Tetra pack
factories to white-collar jobs with insurance companies and banks. We can read
it all in the international news that companies like IBM are proud that ‘Watson’
will have more and more human capabilities.
On the other hand, people face great uncertainty in the changing labour market. From employment contract to flex work. New contracts are offered with diluted conditions. Uncertainty and pressure increased the number of people suffering a burnout by 3% in the past years. Estimated at about one million in the Netherlands. Some 800.000 persons take antidepressants.
On the other hand, people face great uncertainty in the changing labour market. From employment contract to flex work. New contracts are offered with diluted conditions. Uncertainty and pressure increased the number of people suffering a burnout by 3% in the past years. Estimated at about one million in the Netherlands. Some 800.000 persons take antidepressants.
In the concept plan linked to this initiative environment plays an important role in the form of small scale local production for own use. Trying to give back more certainty to participants. The question should be answered what consumer goods we need and what products are unnecessary, given the abnormal assortment we find for instance in supermarkets.
In other words, this is a platform for people facing
difficulties in this rapidly changing world also challenging the existing
economy of growth. I am surrounded by citizens delivering new ideas for a
different society. The real hope for the future!
Wim Verhoeven
verhoevenkoffiekring@tele2.nl
