District Chairman Brahim Abid: “Volunteering helped me discover a new world”

For Brahim Abid, district chairman in Amsterdam Noord, volunteering opened up a new world. He discovered a passion for politics, got a permanent job at the municipality, and found the love of his life!It was in the year 2007 that Brahim worked in the hospitality industry at Rembrandtplein. Large political gatherings were held there around the elections, which piqued his interest. He decided to sign up as a volunteer, and that’s how it all started. “My first volunteer job was to hand out flyers for the PvdA. The work itself didn’t involve much, but I found it to be an interesting field, especially because of the combination of technology and political strategy. A year later, I was able to organize an expedition in De Baarsjes, and the volunteer work took on a more solid form. During that period, I began to doubt the further direction of my future. Before that, I always thought I would go into law, but now my interest in politics was growing.”

Complete new world

To calmly figure out what he wanted, Brahim temporarily returned to the hospitality industry. One day, he met an old college friend there. The friend convinced him to work intensively as a volunteer on the campaign for the European elections. “I loved it and discovered a completely new world full of interesting processes, techniques, and interests. By doing this volunteer work, I automatically became part of a new professional world. As a volunteer, you get the chance to get to know an unfamiliar field in an accessible way. You meet new people, learn new skills, and get a lot of satisfaction from it!”

From volunteer work to paid job

In that same year, preparations also began for the national elections that took place in 2010. “Because of the volunteer work I was doing at that time, I was asked to take on a paid position here,” Brahim explains. “Gradually, I got more and more work, and that’s how I eventually started working at the faction office and later became district chairman in Noord. So, you could say that volunteer work has brought me to where I am now. And this applies not only in terms of work but also personally. In fact, I met my current wife during the period when I was doing volunteer work.”

Collaborating with volunteers

At the moment, Brahim says he is too busy for volunteer work. However, when he talks about the volunteer work his wife does and how he helps with it, it turns out he is still doing a lot, just not in an organized way anymore. In addition, he also works a lot with volunteers. “I naturally encounter them daily in my work,” he says. “For example, in collaboration with Red Amsterdam Noord, all sports clubs, community initiatives, and green spaces in our district. It’s fantastic what they all do! And we really need them. But immediately, concerns arise. Volunteer work faces huge competition from commerce and other forms of entertainment. The choice between relaxing on the couch or doing volunteer work outside can be a very difficult one.”

A safe and pleasant work environment

Brahim sees an important role for the municipality in facilitating volunteer organizations so that they can provide a safe and pleasant work environment. “The foundation for volunteering must be solid,” he emphasizes. “It is also important to arrange physical spaces for volunteer initiatives. For this, we collaborate with corporations that can allocate such locations.” Despite his concerns, Brahim is also very proud. “It is admirable how many volunteers Amsterdam has. And although it is characteristic of the residents in the North district to speak their minds, I also see a tremendous sense of connection and solidarity.” Currently, volunteering is on the back burner for Brahim, but if he ever has more free time, he sees himself teaching, for example. “I enjoy sharing knowledge. Maybe about the experience I have gained in the hospitality industry all these years. Who knows!”

Interested in learning more about volunteering in Amsterdam North? Send an email to w.post@vca.nu or call 06 – 11 28 32 85!Text: Marike Ooms

Photo: Municipality of AmsterdamEmpty space.