Background

Amaryllis is the social work and welfare organisation in the municipality of Leeuwarden. In 2025, we will celebrate our 10th anniversary!

Our mission

Amaryllis Foundation:

  • STRENGTHENED residents, social networks and the social base
  • BIEDT:
    • basic support Wmo (Social Support Act)
    • light parenting support for young people
    • debt counselling (Wgs, Municipal Debt Relief Act)
  • IS THE ACCESS TO:
    • additional support Wmo
      • by Windkracht 058 (combination of Aardema Care Group and InnZorg, and their subcontractors)
      • care providers via PGB
      • Protected housing
      • Sensory facilities
    • additional support youth, through the municipality's Youth Expert Team (JET)

Amaryllis carries out its work on behalf of the Municipality of Leeuwarden. Amaryllis was awarded the tender in cooperation with Incluzio BV. This nationwide organisation facilitates Amaryllis in a number of areas.

History

Founded in May 2014, Amaryllis could really take off in 2015 with 'welfare new style'. On 1 January 2015, municipalities became responsible for implementing the Participation Act, Youth Act and Wmo. The Municipality of Leeuwarden transferred many of the tasks to social neighbourhood teams, which together formed Amaryllis. On 1 January 2015, social workers officially joined Amaryllis. Not taking demand out of residents' hands, but increasing their self-reliance, That was the approach.

A key tool was the so-called kitchen table talks. Instead of purely looking at what people are entitled to, a social worker looked at what residents and their families, if any, really need. 'Doing what is needed together' was therefore the slogan of Amaryllis.

Growth

Amaryllis was a cooperative: a collaboration of the neighbourhood social teams in the municipality of Leeuwarden. With municipal redivisions came two village social teams at. First a team for the southern and later a team for the northern villages.

In 2019, Wellzo merged with Amaryllis. With this, Amaryllis gained also teams for youth work, volunteering and informal care. Amaryllis then became a foundation. Further community work back in the municipality of Leeuwarden. This will also be implemented by Amaryllis.

Amaryllis, meanwhile, has additionally other specialised teams or staff, such as for pgb, youth, early signalling, collective working and coordinators for neighbourhood mediation and language support.

Development

There has been increasing emphasis at Amaryllis on prevention, where commitment to youth is also crucial. In addition, reciprocity an important theme.

Both have led Amaryllis to adopt no longer focuses only on vulnerable residents, but on all residents: people who could use help and people who want to do something for someone else. After all, all residents can sometimes need a helping hand. Moreover, we encourage people to think about each other, to do things with each other and for each other. Besides still doing what is needed together, Amaryllis' slogan is therefore now 'Together we are Leeuwarden'.

Another development is that in addition to individual, support in groups as much as possible. Apart from being efficient, it proves to be especially effective. For instance, participants share tips and experiences and realise that they are not the only ones with a certain problem.
Online support is also possible, e.g. through the e-heath programme Gezondeboel.

Thus, we are always responding to what is needed and possible, and remain committed to the strengthening residents, their social network and villages and neighbourhoods in the municipality of Leeuwarden.