Get to work hands-on at De Reclamation
The Recovery Foundation is located on Leidsestraatweg and aims to guide people who are at a distance from the labor market to paid work. They assume that everyone has unique talents and can mean something for their environment and society. At the same time, De Recovery wants to make products from “waste”. There is a bicycle workshop, a clothing department and a wood department. In the wood workshop, old doors are recycled into furniture, bird houses, picture frames or reusable shelves.
Anne has been coming to De recovery three days a week for a year now. “I was an HR manager but I had eight strokes in ten years. I could no longer do my job. Stress turned out to be a trigger for the brain haemorrhages. I came to sit at home and that is not for me. I always like to work with my hands. When I heard about De Recovery and that they have a clothing department there, I went to have a look. I had a conversation with Arjen (founder and coordinator) and was immediately enthusiastic. After working in clothing for a while, I started refurbishing furniture. That has always been a hobby of mine. They look very carefully at what you could and want to do. There is no stress here, I do not have to bear any responsibility, I help reduce the mountain of waste and it is a very nice atmosphere. What does a man want more? I hope to be able to work here for a very long time and to refurbish many beautiful cabinets.”
I hope to be able to work here for a very long time and to refurbish many beautiful cabinets!
De Recovery has only been around for three years, but has grown into a serious company where about fifty people find work and the company is still growing. Not so long ago, De Recovery opened a furniture store at 15 Leidsestraatweg, where Anne's furniture is also offered.
Anyone who wants to contribute to the goals of De Recovery is welcome to become a volunteer. As a supervisor, IT professional, web designer, furniture upholsterer, administrative assistant, you name it. Some of the open volunteer vacancies are listed on the site https://www.de Recovery.nl/vacatures/. Arjen Nihot from De Recovery is happy to show you around and then you can see together what you could and would like to do.
Pia's story
Caregivers: invisible heroes “Looking back, I think it started about five years ago. Together with my brother and sister we are there for my mother. My brother mainly takes care of her administration. My sister and I take turns. Do the shopping, cook and stay with her when she eats. Then she is not alone and we keep an eye on her, because she has to eat well. We still have our family, of course, so we plan it together as best we can.” “My brother, sister and I all live close to my mother, which makes it possible for us to do this. On the one hand, that is of course very nice. My mother does not have to leave her own familiar environment for the time being. It does keep us busy. What if things get worse and she can no longer live at home? When does my mother need a nursing home? When is our care no longer enough? I find that very difficult. Because how do you make such a decision for someone so close? Not knowing whether a decision is 'the right one' for my mother is the hardest part for me. I tell myself that if I acted with her best interests first, I did my best.” I tell myself that if I acted with her best interests first, I did my best. “Taking care of my mother in this way certainly has some tough and difficult moments. But at times it is also beautiful. My mother and I have so much more contact than before. Where I used to go for coffee now and then, I am now with her almost every day. Sometimes she tells stories about the past that I had never heard before. That way I get to know her even better during those moments. I experience every smile from my mother as valuable. Her end is approaching and that makes the time together extra valuable. I now look differently at the little moments of happiness in life, I appreciate them so much more” November 10 is the Day of Informal Care. A day on which we consciously take extra care of those who care for a seriously ill or disabled loved one 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 a year. Because that is hard work and often happens without anyone showing it on the outside. Pia, along with her brother and sister, takes care of her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's two years ago. Share these stories and inspire others to help too! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Whatsapp Forward
Read the story