Volunteering gave me insights

Bahjat came to the Netherlands from Lebanon in 2018: “I had a lot of free time in the asylum seekers’ center. I learned the language by listening to Dutch songs. ‘Avond’ by Boudewijn de Groot is my absolute favorite! After a while, I thought: okay, I also want to do something for society. Social contact and the feeling of really being able to make a difference are very important to me. That’s why I started doing volunteer work at nursing home De Die, in Amsterdam North.”Together with a support worker, Bahjat started organizing activities for residents. “Working with people with dementia is fun and challenging. Some people are almost unresponsive, and sometimes they can’t walk or eat by themselves. It can be difficult to deal with at times. One lesson I have learned there is about health. I try to minimize the chance of memory loss by, for example, cutting out sugar and salt from my diet and getting enough exercise. It seems terrible not being able to do your own thing.”

Sing songs together

In addition to the intense moments, Bahjat also experienced many fun things. “I remember when a lady turned one hundred years old. We went outside with a small group. At Buikslotermeerplein, she told every passerby how happy she was to turn one hundred. She didn’t know anyone, but she enjoyed socializing and celebrating her birthday. It’s very nice that we can make someone so happy on their birthday. Often these people spend the whole day inside in their wheelchair. Going outside is truly a festive outing for them. Sometimes we also had parties. Professional singers would come and sing old songs for the residents. The nice thing is that the residents remember these songs from the past. Their memory comes back at that moment and everyone sings along with all their heart.”

“Very grateful for this insight”

After a fun and educational time at Cordaan, Bahjat has since stopped volunteering. He has realized here that he wants to pursue the HBO program in Health and Social Work. “I noticed that I really enjoyed working with people. Cordaan has given me insights for the future, and I am very grateful for that.”Photos: Jackie Mulder
Text: Rosie Klein Overmeen

Are you also interested in volunteering?

In our online job board, there are about 1000 fun and meaningful volunteer opportunities in the city. For every talent and schedule.Search online or schedule an appointment with one of our mediatorsVCA is committed to new Amsterdammers. We do this together with volunteer organizations, the Municipality of Amsterdam, language schools, and a team of ambassadors in theProject Status Holders:No content to translate.hereRead more about it. This project has been made possible by: