Last wednesday I had the chance to join the presentation of the National Think Tank. The Think Tank has been raised in 2005 as a non profit organisation with the goal to improve the environment between government, companies and knowledge institutions.
As a first thing to mention, I was excited to be in the ING house for the first time, the ING house is a very famous and extraordinary building which is impressive to see if you pass it on the highway. I was invited to be here because of doing some small contributions in their research where I helped along with other youth ambassadors of the hague.
The theme of this year was "to be healthy for each other"; advices to stimulate youngsters to choose for a healthier lifestyle. Projects were amongst others a T-Party and Run2Gether.
A T-Party is, as the word says, a tea party for the parents. A workshop about educating children for approximately eight parents guided by a social worker. A nice idea, which is of course taking place already in some other ways. But organising this more strictly (maybe within school aswell) should help in breaking taboos within educating children amongst different cultures.
Run2Gether is supposed to bring quality time within your family by moving together. Employers and employees with their children should be offered a full program with monthly 'running'-activities.
Interesting, but I seriously had my doubts in combining these kinds of running social activities with your parents imagining of how I would feel like doing that in the age of 13/14...
It's there, the 29th edition! We all know what we are talking about; Parkpop. One day before Parkpop I get the chance to interview Guus Dutrieux, one of the six from the original Parkpop-Board. It would be a busy presentation, but... it turned out to an informal and personal conversation.
Nearly thirty years of existing, and growing each year; Parkpop is a phenomenom amongst the hague youngsters. Besides that, it's one of the world's biggest FREE festivals. But how did it began? Dutrieux tells easily, comfortable, about the first edition of Parkpop. Looking back on the old days the handout agenda for the event didn't even have 10 pages! What a laugh! But, it had around 15000 visitors; quite nice! But how big is the book right now ? Well.. about this size, and he lifts his hands placing his vingers on a book of what looks like more than the neverending 'Lord of The Rings'.
But even as the festival is growing each year, Parkpop has had his losses. "Reckon that we pay all our income from drinks, marketplaces, sponsors and subsidy... and not any entry prices!"
"That's quite something..."
"Yes, and besides that we pay normal prices for the performances, and everything around it"
Also, Parkpop has a lot of more competitors than before: "There is so much more, that wasn't there before. It's a lot harder now to start a festival." But Dutrieux is convinced that tomorrow they will succeed again, especially with this weather forecast.
And it's not the only thing they do, and that's good aswell "Because..." he continues "...with the profit of other events we can fully cover this kind of Festival". And the production firm has a lot more for the future. In the North of Holland, a big event, in multiple cities...
A nice conversation ended with some backstage tickets the next day;
the 29th edition of Parkpop with a.o. Racoon, Monte Montgomery and Sheryl Crow
The Young Ambassadors, a group of youngsters all younger than 25 willing to stand up and work for a better city. They are functioning as a direct advice to the government and several institutes.
Thursday evening I joined a meeting of the Young Ambassadors, in the City Hall of The Hague. Besides their usual progress reviews four party’s joined the evening to get advice and interest for all to participate.
1. At first a project, name is in development, motivating potential school dropouts preventing them for dropping out. Their problem; the potential dropouts are demotivated, and the existing dropouts are discriminated (getting back to school, into a job or institute later on).
The solution so far by the organisation is doing research and making interviews of dropped out pupils who are going back to work (like example stories). From this a movie will be made, presenting it to the potential dropouts and rewarding them with some kind of certificate of not dropping out.
This raised many questions amongst all ambassadors. At first putting a stamp on potential dropouts is not going to work and example movies of pupils who dropped out, is more motivating them to drop out than to stay on school. I raised another issue that this certificate would have a very tricky aspect as well, how would this “nearly dropped out”-certificate affect possible future education and work environment?
The idea to motivate the pupils is good, but the first understanding of the project is slightly wrong. The value of this certificate, like gaining competencies (with workshops, and lessons that interest them) could be far more interesting, like a scan of motivation, cause points do not only result in your degree, but also your motivation. Research, research, research, Please!
2. Then the next. A governmental fulcrum who takes care of people caring for sick people; one on ten youngsters is taking care of somebody who is mentally or physically ill. This fulcrum helps those youngsters to get the help they deserve, because many times there are many solutions for helping in their situation. But the fulcrum has a problem: These ‘caring youngsters’ are not looking for help, they think they are alone, and they cannot reach them. They have multiple buildings in The Hague but they are running out of clients!
The ambassadors and me are slightly overwhelmed by the situation and I indicate how they are managing their clients at the moment. The problem, which easily can be found by the first question is that they targeted these people by a word, a term, discriminating and separating them from the rest and that is exactly what these people do not want. Going to schools and explaining who they are and what they are doing is good and we suggest to do that a lot more than they are doing that right now, and not by giving those people a name, but offering those people help if they would like that.
3. The last presentation is about a woman who wants to create a book. But not an ordinary book, a book which is created by youngsters taking away prejudice, eliminating discrimination of cultural minorities. The idea was represented for The Hague Talentshow ‘The Komet’ to win money to realize, but lost without arguments –stunned faces-.
But, she is still going for a subsidy application. The ambassadors and me directly hand over more foundations, companies and institutes that could help her realize her idea...
It is said in many occasions; returning home from a study or course in foreign countries enlarges future possibilities and opportunities. But not only job opportunities is said to magnify, gaining experiences, feeling other cultures will broaden your view.
What I have noticed as well, and with me many others, is that it also will also create a certain point of view on your own country, your own town, your surroundings. You begin to notice how easy some things are, it is so comprehensible that it makes you feel lucky.
Lucky to be born in this country. Lucky to grow up in a regular family where you have water, food, electricity, television and even a computer later on. A garden where you could play in and a ridiculous amount of accessories that would trigger your creativity.
When I think of Vladanka, a friend from Serbia, it makes me feel sad. She is working overtime in a pizzeria and working in one of those orphanages seen on those news items sometimes. Or Igi, my Mongolian mother, who is working as a teacher to support her mother, her son and her nephew. Not to speak of the street children who are even worse off, demanding money, daily.
It makes me feel unpleasant, of how people sometimes criticize so easily, not being critical at all. It is ignorant and most of all ingenuous. If things are bothering you, if things are not right, if things have to be done and you know how, step up, talk, undertake and be entrepreneurial.
For instance:
In my city there is even a special bulletin for youngsters that is functioning for direct advice to the government and several institutes. I am going to visit this group soon, it is filled with active youngsters participating in making a better city. I’m looking forward to work with them...
4th year student of Communication & Multimedia Design on the Rotterdam College University specializing in concept development Do you want to know more ?
As a first thing to mention, I was excited to be in the ING house for the first time, the ING house is a very famous and extraordinary building which is impressive to see if you pass it on the highway. I was invited to be here because of doing some small contributions in their research where I helped along with other youth ambassadors of the hague.
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1. At first a project, name is in development, motivating potential school dropouts preventing them for dropping out. Their problem; the potential dropouts are demotivated, and the existing dropouts are discriminated (getting back to school, into a job or institute later on). 
