Language and participation go hand in hand

Stichting Blik op Talent was founded in 2010 by a group of idealistic integration and participation experts. Based in Amsterdam-West, the foundation focuses on developing and providing training for specific target groups. The diversely composed Blik op Talent team—in terms of education, specialism, language skills, and cultural background—works from the principle that the best results are achieved through personal contact and an encouraging attitude.

Together we work on the 'permanent participation' of students

Intensive collaboration

The collaboration between Blik op Talent and TopTaal is intensive. 'We encounter each other in various areas,' Remco explains. 'Among other things, TopTaal provides the language courses commissioned by the Municipality of Amsterdam. Within the same framework, we organize the programs to enable people to participate in society. Together, we provide cross-professional competencies that positively guide career development and give people a better chance of finding a job.
Additionally, Remco regularly meets TopTaal colleagues at the community learning school, where people can follow second-chance education to obtain a basic qualification. With this qualification, they can take their first steps toward the labor market. TopTaal provides the language lessons for people with a language deficiency, and Blik op Talent provides the vocational training. In this way, we work together here too to ensure better participation for the participants.
Conversely, TopTaal can turn to the foundation when students are looking for internships. Remco and his colleagues often play a mediating role in this. These internships are very important for putting what has been learned into practice as quickly as possible.

Remco: 'The collaboration between both organizations is very open. We complement each other. We share information from the field and brainstorm where necessary about solutions and possibilities. That is exactly how a partnership should be; with the same vision, we ensure together that someone makes the best possible start in the Netherlands, working toward the same goal by being open and flexible.'

In search of sustainable improvement

Through the Blik op Talent Foundation, Remco is involved in projects in the field of social participation and labor participation. 'As the founder of the foundation, I often experience intense situations. Did you know that in Amsterdam Nieuw-West alone, one hundred and seventy girls were reported missing in the first quarter of 2018? It is sometimes incredibly difficult to get in touch with those girls. After that, you also try to work with them in a future-oriented way. We do many positive things. For example, we teach them boxing to increase their resilience.'
In doing so, Remco and his colleagues always look for opportunities. They involve the client's personal environment and try to strengthen their social network. 'We first map out in a general sense what someone can do and what someone needs. That is different for everyone. We look very specifically at people's talents and work with those.'

As a foundation, we have grown from two colleagues to a team of twelve. So we are doing something right,' says Remco.
‘We are very happy with the collaboration with TopTaal. TopTaal really delivers quality. They are hard workers, and so are we. The great thing is that they don't have a nine-to-five mentality. That doesn't work in this environment, where you really have to help vulnerable people navigate the system. We know that we can trust each other's professionalism, both the TopTaal colleagues and ourselves. Even though we are a very small player in the social domain compared to TopTaal, we are both looking for sustainable improvement. And as far as I'm concerned, language and participation go hand in hand.’

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