Stap Verder is looking for an empathetic creative volunteer who wants to assist with sewing
lessons

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In community centre Stap Verder, newcomers receive Dutch lessons, sewing lessons and handicrafts,
and can find information in our social, medical and legal consultation hours. Visitors who are
temporarily without a place to stay can shower, do the laundry, cook or pick up a ready-made meal,
charge their phone and receive mail. Mainly people with an African background come.

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For years, we have been offering sewing and handicraft lessons especially for women, given by a
creative Nigerian handicraft teacher. Now that she has found paid work, she has less time to prepare
those lessons. She is looking for an assistant who enjoys supporting her and facilitating her in
planning and reporting on the results of the lessons. The creative process of giving the sewing lessons
and designing clothing and bags, hats and jewellery remains expressly reserved for the sewing
teacher. Assistance is welcome.

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In addition to learning to sew and learning new handicraft techniques, mutual assistance is an
important aspect of the lessons. The students have come to the Netherlands as migrants and have to
try to build a new life here. Some even have a residence procedure pending and no rights to facilities.
During the lessons, the women build mutual trust and come to the teacher and each other with
questions about integration in the Netherlands. It is therefore also a place for information and
referrals and sometimes also for encouragement and pastoral and diaconal support and emergency
aid.

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Tasks are:

• putting a work plan and budget for the year on paper for the board

• making a project plan in collaboration with the general co-ordinator for the funds that sponsor this

• project

• purchasing materials and catering and keeping a simple bookkeeping of these

• planning and arranging an annual outing for the students

• preparing an annual presentation day with a fashion show

• making registration lists and flyers for recruiting new students

• distributing the flyers and finding other ways of recruiting students

• supporting the empowerment work that takes place between the women in addition to the sewing lessons

• making a substantive and financial report at the end of the year

 

We are looking for someone with the following competencies:

• coaching

• empathy;

• integrity;

• confidentiality;

• careful communication and understanding;

• intercultural communication, or willingness to learn in this

• flexibility;

• understanding of equality;

• facilitating, supporting, assisting, not controlling;

• knowledge of sewing: suggestions welcome, but not bossing around.

• being able to write a simple project plan

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What does Stap Verder have to offer and what makes the work worthwhile?
A friendly and committed team of board members, coordinators, pastors and volunteers, who
together try to help people in a pleasant way. Good agreements are made. You come into contact
with people from all kinds of cultures, languages and continents.

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Caring for each other is paramount and wanting to be of service to others. Together we try to take a
step further in life and help each other in doing so. As a volunteer you are eligible for an expense
allowance. There is insurance for volunteers. A certificate of good conduct (VOG) is requested.

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More information can be found on our website: www.stapverder.org or call co-ordinator Erika
Feenstra, 06-17223372

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