Background

Amaryllis is the social work and welfare organisation in the municipality of Leeuwarden.

Our mission

Amaryllis Foundation:

  • reinforced residents, social networks and the social base
  • offers:
    • 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. From 1 January 2015, social workers officially joined Amaryllis. Not taking the demand off their hands, but increasing residents' self-reliance, that was the approach.

An important tool back then were 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 social village teams in the municipality of Leeuwarden. With municipal redivisions, two village social teams were added. First a team for the southern and later a team for the northern villages.

In 2019, Wellzo merged with Amaryllis. This gave Amaryllis teams for youth work, volunteering and informal care as well. Amaryllis then became a foundation. Furthermore, community work returned to the Leeuwarden municipality. This too is carried out by Amaryllis.

Amaryllis now additionally has 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 an increasing emphasis at Amaryllis on prevention, with commitment to youth also crucial. In addition, reciprocity is an important theme.

Both have resulted in Amaryllis no longer focusing only on vulnerable residents, but on all residents: people who can use help and people who want to do something for another. 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, besides individual support, we support in groups as much as possible. Apart from being efficient, this turns out to be particularly 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.

In this way, we always respond to what is needed and possible, and we remain committed to strengthening residents, their social network and villages and neighbourhoods in the municipality of Leeuwarden.