I like to help young people
Nice to do something in my field
Bert (62): 'About a year and a half ago I was lucky enough to be able to stop working a little earlier. Delicious, of course, but at a certain point I thought: 'And now?' I wanted to do something with my interests and field of expertise. I am a physicist by background and I like to work with exact subjects. Tutoring young people seemed like a good idea, mathematics, economics. I soon found out that most tutoring institutes are very expensive and commercial and I want to do something for young people who can't afford the tutoring. After a bit of googling I came across BUUV. I now tutor various young people and young adults through BUUV. Their ages range from 12 to 29 and they all have a different level and background. VMBO, VWO but also MBO, that makes it very varied. For example, I also tutor a Syrian refugee. That is a nice challenge for me because the language is sometimes even more difficult than the sum haha!'
It is important that everyone has equal opportunities
'I started in the middle of corona time and I do everything online. During the first contact we discuss the planning and where the pain points are, then we work on that step by step. The students email me their homework or they send an app with a photo of a difficult sum. Sometimes I have to chase them because in the end they have to do it themselves. One of my students had fallen behind quite a bit due to corona. We got rid of that and now she's fully recovered. She recently texted me that she got a 9 for her maths, she was so proud and that is of course also very motivating for me. Some children grow up in a situation where the parents cannot help with homework, for example. I am glad that I came into contact with these young people through BUUV. I think it's important that everyone gets equal opportunities and I do my part with my tutoring.'
Hans is a mentor
Mentorship enriches your world Hans works as a volunteer as a mentor at Stichting Mentorschap Noordwest en Midden. He has four clients with intellectual disabilities, whom he supports in making decisions in care and welfare. He doesn't have to think twice about why he became a mentor: 'Because I find it fascinating to delve into a client, to get a good contact. That way you can represent their interests as well as possible'. Stichting Mentorschap Noordwest en Midden offers mentorship to people who are unable to manage their own care and well-being due to illness or a disability. And have no family or friends to support them in this. The Foundation is appointed by the court as legal representative and advocate for this purpose. The voluntary mentors who work at the Foundation carry out the mentorship with a mandate. Just nice and cozy Hans has clients of different levels, with which the degree of contact also differs. 'The contact with some clients is good and it is also just fun and pleasant, like with Nico. He is slightly mentally handicapped, but I can talk to him well and exchange ideas about certain things. He also sends me regular text messages. For example, when he had received his corona vaccination. We were able to discuss whether or not to vaccinate against the virus in advance. With all the reporting about this, Nico had decided that it was better not to do it. I countered that he is at the heart of society and comes into contact with many people. So it was better to do it. For example, Nico is a groundskeeper at a football club and he sings in a choir. In the end he agreed with me.' Contact with healthcare providers Contact is less easy with his other clients, who have additional psychological problems. Hans sees it above all as his duty to be caring and to invest in good contact with the care providers. 'From my external position, I try to ensure that my client is given sufficient attention by his supervisors and that agreements are kept. I must say that the contact with the caregivers is very good. I am informed on time and if necessary, there is always room for consultation.' Enriching 'I enjoy the trust I get from my clients. I enjoy being part of a larger whole through them, from which I also learn from myself. For the time you invest as a mentor, you get a lot back in fun, contacts, and trust. You come into contact with a world that you would not otherwise come into contact with. And that is enriching.' Want to become a mentor too? Are you looking for volunteer work with content that you can organize flexibly? Sign up as a mentor now! For more information and to register, visit www.stichtingmentorschap.nl Share these stories and inspire others to help too! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Whatsapp Forward
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