Profit & non-profit speed dating

What do a lawyer, career coach, IT specialist, Islamic scholar, HR manager, and event expert have in common? All of them were present at the online speed dating event on October 28. We organize this event twice a year, with the aim of creating valuable connections between social organizations with specific needs and companies/entrepreneurs willing to help. The energy that was released this time was incredible!

10 participating entrepreneurs…

• Maaike Cohen, Lawyer and board member of VEBAN
• Sigrid Beute, Regional Complaints Ambassador UWV, former top athlete with a network in the world of elite sports.
• Myra Sarfaty, entrepreneur and board member at Florakokjes
• Victor Helmich; Moderator – External chairman
• Joop Stroes, entrepreneur and coach
• André Berger, independent consultant and regional complaints ambassador at the UWV
• Remmert Veen, ICT specialist and entrepreneur
• Rene Pouwelse, event specialist, sound technician, and producer
• Margot Freericks, HRM expert
• Theo Schrager, career coach and entrepreneur

John Meijdam from ARUP and Marinus Pannevis from Rotary Zuidas – they were not present but offered assistance.No content to translate.

… and 7 social organizations

Seven Amsterdam social initiatives that could use help in the form of networking, expertise, hands, and resources. Everything except money, that is the essence.The entrepreneurs and the social organizations then split into online breakout rooms for the speed dating sessions: getting to know each other, asking questions, and discovering who could offer help where.
An initial list of matches:

Amsterdam Neighbors Contact Foundation was looking for a professional coach who can assist with team building.

• Victor Helmich has offered to provide meeting training and possibly also to give training on how to be a good discussion leader in peer consultations/meetings.
• Margot Freericks would like to contribute to organizational structure and processes.
• Theo Schrager offered to conduct personality tests. This in collaboration with Joop Stroes, who focuses more on the collective process.

Stichting Buiksloterkerk aims to preserve the national monument from 1605 for the future. They were looking for someone with leadership experience to manage and professionalize the volunteer organization. Or to provide advice on this matter.

• Sigrid Beute has advised to contact a department of the UWV that focuses on guiding re-entrants who are ready to gain some work experience again.
• Furthermore, all entrepreneurs have confirmed that, if desired, they are happy to engage in further discussions with the foundation.

Buurtgezinnen is a new initiative based on an old idea: raising children together. Families facing difficulties are matched with a warm and stable family in the neighborhood. This way, children receive extra love and attention, while parents get some relief. They sought help in making their new initiative more known and visible.

• Rene Pouwelse wants to help organize an online event via Zoom
• Maaike Cohen is going to try to promote Buurtgezinnen within the shopkeepers’ association Veban.

“As an entrepreneur, you often know the ways, entrances, tips for social media, and you can already help people a lot with that. That is not only fun but especially useful and necessary. Because volunteers are often major driving forces behind people who also need help.”

Foundation Together Strong supports vulnerable residents through, among other things, language lessons and homework assistance. However, the children receiving homework assistance do not always have their own laptop/tablet. There is an urgent need for this.

• Both Remmert Veen and the company ARUP want to donate laptops/tablets.

Bureau NAH Zorg organizes activities and tasks for and by people with acquired brain injury (ABI). They were looking for ways to secure more paid assignments to further involve people with ABI. The proceeds always benefit the volunteers and participants of the foundation.

• Remmert Veen will inquire within his ICT network about job opportunities for people with ABI.
• Theo Schrager has also offered help

No content to translate.

“What an inspiring event. I will definitely take some advice from it.”

No content to translate.

Mother Network connects mothers caring for a child with a disability and care providers. They provide support in finding and requesting the necessary care for their child with a disability. They sought help with ICT and managing the website.

• Assistance offered by Myra Sarfaty and Remmert Veen

The Career Coach Café is an initiative to connect people with diverse backgrounds and learn from each other, with a bridge to employment. There was an urgent need for a location with 2 spaces that they can use twice a week.

• Victor Helmich, Sigrid Beute, and Andre Berger are going to see how they can help with this.

“I enjoyed, learned, and felt inspired to participate. Learned a lot about things you don’t think about every day.”

We thank all the present companies and social initiatives for their time and effort and hope for a successful continuation of the above matches.
Do you want to know more about our match meetings?
Get in touch withRachida el Alami