From participant to organiser

It has been almost a year since Harm-Jan came to Amaryllis. He hardly left the door, until social worker Hendrik convinced him to box at Conscious Exercise. Later, Harm-Jan also joined creative cafes and recently he even got a job. Outside Amaryllis activities, he talked to people he met here. "The people I talked to would also get along very well," Harm-Jan says. "That's how I and someone came up with the idea of organising a weekly soos. But where do I start? I asked Hendrik." And so Harm-Jan went from participant to organiser.

"Hendrik has a lot of connections through the city," Harm-Jan continues. "He helped arrange a venue. After a search, we came to community centre Welgelegen." The upstairs has a homely atmosphere. Snacks on the table, rug on the floor and a relaxing sofa to hang out on.

Today, a handful of people are sitting there. "Sometimes there are three of us, sometimes eight," Harm-Jan explains. "We want to keep it small, so we can just have a conversation with each other."

"This is a so-called ASS-Soos. A soos for dissenters. We call it neurodiverse people," Harm-Jan explains. Colloquially, people with a form of autism. Nothing must, everything is possible. That is the soos' motto. "Sometimes we do a game, other times just a cup of coffee and a good conversation. Just catching up on how everyone is doing."

"After our training sessions at Conscious Exercise, we sit after with a well-earned cup of coffee," says Hendrik, a social worker at Amaryllis. "Here, personal stories are shared, advice given and a listening ear offered. Above all, there is (h)acknowledgement in each other's experiences. This created the need to meet more often. This is a target group that does not easily contact each other, but has a need for it." Hendrik decided to help them. "I saw that this group was motivated to take responsibility," he says.

"After talking to the participants, the search for a venue began. I also helped publicise the group with, for example, a flyer. After discussions, we agreed that we from Amaryllis would help to get this group going for a maximum of a year. Harm-Jan was keen to take on the role of host, but found it exciting. Now, after four months, the decision has already been made to step out as a social worker and leave the organisation to the group itself." Hendrik appoints: "I am proud of Harm-Jan. He is reliable, consistent and a positive presence. A real host."

Now Harm-Jan organises the Soos all by himself. "That's exciting. Precisely because it is so non-committal, you don't know who will come. Fortunately, I have never sat here alone. I know that many of the participants like to come but need an invitation. I know from myself that I really need this social moment. If it is too casual, I won't come anyway. That's very contradictory, but that's how it works in my head. More participants have that. That is precisely why I have taken on the organisation, so that I come myself. After all, the others depend on me.

"When we first organised this soos without the help of Amaryllis, we were immediately faced with a closed door. The community centre was closed. I thought, 'here we go.' Then one of the participants said, 'I do know someone who has the key'. He fetched the key and the soos went on. Then I realised: 'We can just do this, even without Amaryllis.'" Would you like to join the soos sometime? You are welcome on Wednesday evenings between 7pm and 10pm on the upper floor of Welgelegen community centre.

Do you have a great idea, but don't dare ask the social worker for help? Then discuss it with someone else. For example, a friend, relative or other participant of an Amaryllis group. If they think it's a good idea too, you can always go to the social worker together and ask for help.