“I enjoy the freedom!”

Who are you?“I am Arjan, 43 years old, living in Landsmeer, and doing volunteer work in Amsterdam-Noord, near my own place of residence.”What do you do in your daily life?“I have previously worked as an installation technician, my work mainly involved maintenance and troubleshooting of central heating systems. After a serious accident, I had to undergo a period of rehabilitation, returning directly to my previous profession was not feasible yet. I am now back in action through volunteering at SPIN.”What do you do as a volunteer?“I maintain various playgrounds in Amsterdam-Noord. Repairing and painting play equipment, keeping the pavement in the playgrounds in order, and placing rubber tiles under the play equipment. I also take care of the greenery; pruning trees and bushes, mowing the grass. Just various odd jobs. Sometimes I work together, sometimes alone. I receive a list of tasks from my supervisor at SPIN and get to work, I enjoy the freedom.”The most fun/beautiful thing I have experienced here is…“A while ago, there was a big job at the playground De Zeeslag, where a few large trees had to be removed because they were rotten and posed a danger to the surroundings, right in the middle of a residential area. These trees were removed by a specialized company using large cranes. I had the opportunity to oversee this action, amazing!”What is your tip for people who want to start doing volunteer work?“Do you have a desire to start volunteering? Take action! Inquire in your surroundings, network. The great thing about volunteering is: you meet new people, you do something good for society, you are being productive, and it gives you a good feeling!”Photo: Rob Beense
Do you also want to do volunteer work? Make an appointment withVolunteer Center AmsterdamCall 020-5301220 or