“Life is not just about a career”

Volunteer work on company time

A full-time job where you can do paid volunteer work one day a week? It’s possible! With this idea in mind, Samenvijf was established in January 2017. As an employee, you work four days a week at a client’s site, and on the fifth day, you wrap up the workweek with volunteer work. I join along on the fifth day and speak with Frans Zantman, one of the founders of Samenvijf.

Snack Friday

It’s Friday afternoon. In collaboration with welfare organization Vita Amstelland, fries, croquettes, and frikandels are being cooked at Middenhof, a residential community for the elderly. The dining room is pleasantly full. The murmur of residents can be heard from the corner of three long tables. While enjoying a snack and a drink, they meet each other. Volunteers take orders, pour drinks, fry food, and chat at the table. Earlier that day, they went door-to-door inviting residents for a snack. Thus, the fifth working day of the week of Samenvijf has begun.

Sum of five

In early 2017, 31-year-old Frans Zantman, together with two partners, founded the secondment agency Samenvijf. The agency operates in the healthcare & welfare and government sectors. The organization encourages its employees to do volunteer work. “On the fifth working day, which often falls on a Friday, we offer our employees the opportunity to contribute to a social organization, while maintaining their salary and free time. This is how we want to make the Netherlands a little bit better,” explains Frans.

We want to show that life is not just about one’s own career or the prosperity of the client

“My partners and I worked for a consultancy within the social domain, but we felt something was missing. You work five days a week for the same employer. By Friday afternoon, you have made the employer very happy, but you still miss a sense of purpose in your work.” This turned out to be the foundation of Samenvijf. Through the secondment agency, the founders aim to raise awareness. “We want to show that life is not just about one’s own career or the prosperity of the client. We believe that people can and want to offer something extra to society, but they don’t have time for it with a full-time job.”

Game Afternoon

Employees can choose to participate in volunteer activities initiated by Samenvijf on Fridays. This could be, for example, a game day at a nursing home or an activity day at an animal shelter. “We once organized a sports and games afternoon for the COA in Arnhem. Refugees living there are constantly dealing with procedures and living in uncertainty. For example, they don’t know where they will be living the next day. During a game of soccer, they don’t have to worry about that, it’s just about getting that ball into the opponent’s goal. Different laws and rules apply in sports and games. This way, you connect with each other in a different way.

Especially the ladies loved being served by young, handsome men.

Employees can also come up with proposals for how to spend their fifth day. In fact, the initiators strongly encourage this. Frans: “We actually really like self-initiatives,” emphasizes Frans. “We are based in Amsterdam and naturally do not know all the social initiatives in the Netherlands. Our people come from all over the country, so through them, we also get to know other social organizations.” It is also possible for employees to volunteer individually, for example at a food bank or a youth center nearby.

Enter the weekend full of energy

The snack afternoon is coming to an end, visitors are slowly trickling out the door. This also marks the end of a workweek at Samenvijf. I have a final chat with the facility assistant from Middenhof. She talks about the ins and outs of the residential community and was pleasantly surprised to see some residents enjoying an afternoon like this again after a long rehabilitation period. “The ladies, in particular, loved being served by young, handsome men. Even their granddaughters noticed.” What a beautiful end to the week, heading into the weekend full of positive energy.

Text: Eva Bos