Media laden…
Hello everyone!
On the 19th of June, I will be speaking at the annual event of clientenbelang Amsterdam on the topic of Ableism and the Importance of (Political) Activism for People with Disabilities
We will be in breakout session 1.
Note: in the description it looks like the breakout sessions will be exactly the same in each round, but that isn’t the case. Each round will feature different questions / angles, we won’t be repeating the same conversation twice haha.
I will provide the signup link here, for anyone interested. I also made a translation of the event description.
There are a lot of great speakers and breakout sessions you can attend.
I would love to see some of you there!
Please be aware, the event is in dutch.
Translation brought to you by chatgpt.
But no worries, I made sure This isn’t a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are completely real, not products of the a.i.s imagination or used fictitiously. 😊)
Invitation Annual Event
“In 2030: An Amsterdam for Everyone”
Thinking together, working together, taking action together!
Date: June 19, 2025
Time: 13:00 – 18:00 (including networking drinks)
Location: The Social Hub City, Wibautstraat 129, 1091 GL Amsterdam
At our annual event on Thursday, June 19, we will look ahead to 2030 together:
How do we ensure that truly everyone can fully participate by then?
And receives the care and support that truly aligns with what Amsterdammers need? Together, we are building an Amsterdam for everyone.
Moderator: Martijn de Greve
With speakers including Eva Eikhout (presenter/columnist), alderman Alexander Scholtes (Amsterdam municipality, healthcare portfolio), and Marieke van Gastel (Eindhoven municipal councillor, VVD).
Municipal elections in 2026
On June 19, we’ll actively engage with these ambitions through a dynamic program, inspiring speakers, and substantive conversations. The outcomes will shape our position for the municipal elections on March 18, 2026 — and for what must be achieved by the end of this council period in 2030 for Amsterdammers.
Program
12:30 – Doors open
13:00 – Opening by moderator Martijn de Greve
13:05 – Welcome by Lindy van Vliet (Director-Manager, Client Interest Amsterdam)
13:15 – Keynote by Eva Eikhout (speaker – presenter – columnist)
13:55 – Introduction of Client Interest Amsterdam’s election platform
14:20 – Start of breakout sessions round 1
15:00 – Break
15:20 – Start of breakout sessions round 2
16:10 – Joint session: panel discussion and summary
17:00 – Networking drinks
18:00 – Closing
Breakout Sessions Round 1
🔴 Red – Ableism and (Political) Activism
A conversation about ableism and the importance of (political) activism for people with disabilities.
How can we further encourage and facilitate activism in a broad sense, and create a movement toward change? What and who is needed for this?
Ihab, Marieke, and Shari Jae share personal experiences, what activism means to them, and how we can work toward a city where everyone can participate fully.
Interactive panel discussion moderated by Pauline Willems, researcher at Client Interest Amsterdam.
Panel members:
•
Shari Jae Ebere (Pride Ambassador)
•
Marieke van Gastel (expert by experience and VVD councilor, Eindhoven)
•
Ihab Laachir (student and active in the Validism Amsterdam working group)
🔵 Blue – Policy OK, Enforcement Lacking
People with disabilities should have the same access to public buildings, roads, housing, transport, and the internet as anyone else. Accessibility must become the norm; inaccessibility the exception.
Amsterdammers with disabilities still face barriers every day. What must the City of Amsterdam do (differently) so that by 2030, inaccessibility is the exception — not just in policy but in implementation, behavior change, and enforcement? Contribute ideas for concrete goals and actions.
Interactive panel discussion moderated by Eric Groot Kormelink, Accessibility Policy Officer at Client Interest Amsterdam.
Panel members:
•
Thijs Hardick (Accessibility Policy Officer at Ieder(in))
•
Margit van Hoeve (lobbyist and advisor on disability inclusion)
•
Round 1: Melanie van der Horst (Alderman for Traffic, Transport, and Air Quality, Amsterdam)
•
Round 2: Lotte Terwel (Executive board member of Amsterdam-Centre district, portfolio: inclusion and anti-discrimination)
🟡 Yellow – Bureaucratic Obstacles on the Road to Tailored Support: Purple Crocodiles and Little Hummingbirds
What if we designed the world so that fewer people are limited by it?
Sandra Jacobs (the Wmo Advisor) argues that we often act too late when it comes to the Social Support Act (Wmo). Many problems could be avoided if things were simply better organized.
Expect an inspiring session on human-centered support, less red tape, and more focus on what truly works. With real-life stories, sharp observations, and personal experiences — always with the law in one hand and her heart in the other — Sandra brings you back to the purpose of the Wmo and invites you to reflect on how it could be different, and what you can do.
Sandra has years of experience as a Wmo assessor, consultant, lecturer, and author.
🟢 Green – Stargazing with Sharon: The Role We All Play in Moving Decision-Makers
In this session, scientist and former healthcare provider Sharon Stellaard shares lessons from research on repeated policies in youth care.
More importantly, we will explore together how to motivate decision-makers to adopt solutions that do work for youth and their families.
This conversation goes beyond Youth Care and Inclusive Education — Stargazing is needed everywhere!
Moderated by: Kati Varkenvisser, policy officer and project leader at the Amsterdam Youth Platform and the Client Councils Platform for Long-Term Care.
Topic based on “Boomerang Policy” by Sharon Stellaard.
Breakout Sessions Round 2
Same topics as Round 1, with additional focus in the green session:
🟢 Green – The Most Important Lesson for Professionals and Citizens: Approach Me as a Human Being
What clients most want to tell care professionals and fellow citizens:
Treat us as human beings, not as numbers, objects, or criminals.
Speak to us as equals, take us seriously, engage in dialogue, and listen to our stories.
Topics include experiences with the acute mental health crisis system. Experts by experience will share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned.
Moderated by: Cynthia Courneujouls, policy officer for mental healthcare at Client Interest Amsterdam.
Note: Radio Signaal will produce a podcast from this session, to be published later. Will you listen and join the conversation?
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