“What brings us together is creativity!”

Georgette Engel (46) has been working as a volunteer supervisor at the Art Workshop of the Cordaan foundation in De Pijp every Monday since June 2014. She had just returned from Guatemala, Latin America, where she had volunteered for three months at an organization that helps children with cleft lip or cleft palate, among other things.Votes“I was looking for a paid job and for volunteer work. I coincidentally entered the Kunstwerkplaats when we had to vote on May 22. The polling station was located here. I immediately thought: what a nice place this is! I got into a conversation with an employee and asked: do you need any staff? Not that, but we always need volunteers. I got in touch with the volunteer coordinator of the Cordaan foundation and that’s when things started rolling.”

In this atmospheric old school building you will find the drawing and painting studio, the ceramics department, and theater Lebelle with rehearsal spaces. When you enter, you walk into the shop, next to it you can find the gallery and the art library, and behind them is the restaurant with the kitchen. All departments work with people with intellectual disabilities. There are people with Down syndrome, autistic individuals, people with ADHD, people with acquired brain injury. As a volunteer, you always work together with one or two paid supervisors.

“Because I draw and paint myself, I preferred to work in the drawing and painting studio.”

My supervisor trained me well. I could observe how he did it.

“I have learned how to guide”on the jobI help people who are unsure about how to proceed on their journey. Most of them start working on their own. I am usually working on something myself, we talk, and I assist them when they need something. In the mornings, everyone is busy with their own project, and in the afternoons, we do a group activity. For example, we all make a vase or plant pot out of papier-mâché.Humor“The thing I like the most is the fun you have with the people. They have a lot of humor, are very honest, disarming, and refreshing. You can be a bit crazy. They like that. You can completely be yourself here. I also learn new techniques for myself, I get inspired.”

“For the people, it is very important that they can come here. Some say: I’m going to work. It’s a serious matter. For others, it’s nice to have something to do. What brings us together is creativity.”

The people here are more open and social and make more contact with you than I had thought