Drives are the real engine behind growth and development. Therefore, in this column, North Dutch entrepreneurs tell about their businesses and motivations.
How do we as a society deal with people who fall by the wayside or between the lines? 'The system is sicker than the people we are trying to help,' observes Frisian entrepreneur Alberto Kinderman. That falters, which is why he does things differently with his commercial work and learning companies. A conversation about people work, motivation and market forces.
Alberto is the founder and director of Royal Werkbedrijf, which has locations in Noardburgum, Minnertsga, Sneek and Leeuwarden for participation programs and day care. Candidates can go there to learn skills and rebuild work rhythm with professional guidance. 'We offer customization within a concept that works,' says the entrepreneur. We work intensively with people for a maximum of one year. Usually that period is sufficient to get someone motivated again and find a suitable workplace. But we can't do it alone. An important success factor is the willingness of companies to take people under their wing who need some extra guidance. This is why our network in the region is at least as important as the steps we take during a participation process.
Believing in people
Participation, according to Alberto, requires something of the entire society. 'There have always been people who are less able to keep up. They used to be included in the community as a matter of course, but nowadays more and more fall between the cracks. The world has become so much larger and more complex that it is no longer clear where this group can fall back on. After all, our social systems are just as complex. The people who are least skilled in them have to go through most of the boxes and are sent from pillar to post. Sometimes I wonder: who is actually there for whom? Bureaucracy does not help this group. More and more people are on the sidelines, with all the consequences that entails. And that concerns our whole society.
He worries about it, but above all he wants to do something. Thinking in terms of solutions, moving with opportunities. That is the starting point of Royal Werkbedrijf,' says Alberto. We believe in people, not in problems. It's about stimulating and trying things out. Discovering where the talents are and what someone likes. Intrinsic motivation is everything. Finding something you are willing to put effort into...we all need that, don't we! I want to make an effort for the group that falls between the cracks in society. That is my motivation. Why? Because I recognize something in these people. I myself used to be a rebellious adolescent and I really needed time to find out what suited me. For that you need some luck, but especially people who give you a push at the right time. And that's basically what we do at Royal Werkbedrijf: give people a push.
Flexible and creative
Alberto took opportunities and, after several detours, discovered that he is an entrepreneur with a healthcare heart. 'When I took a module Entrepreneurship in Healthcare in the fourth year of my college nursing course, I knew I was on the right track. But first I learned in my years as a psychosocial nurse that medicalizing, problematizing and stigmatizing are often counterproductive. The trick is to put people back in their own power.' This vision and approach led to Alberto's first company: Zorggroep Kinderman BV, which became a success thanks in part to the emerging market forces in healthcare. 'We started with care mediation, but gradually we became a safety net for people who did not fit well within regular care. Our small scale allowed us to offer the creative and flexible approach that was needed.'
With my caring heart, I know that soft-hearted masters make stinking wounds, which is why I am direct and clear.
Alberto Kinderman
Over time, this freedom of movement was curtailed by changing laws and regulations and budget cuts. 'We too had to use protocols more often and so we threatened to become the very system our target group was breaking down to,' says Alberto. 'That doesn't fit at all with how I want to work, which is why I withdrew.' He sold the company and through conversations with his network became inspired by the Participation Act that was coming up at the time. 'My wife and I bought a farm and former tree lifting facility in Noardburgum, where in 2013 we realized our first location for work and learning programs and day care, the beginning of Royal Werkbedrijf. In this enterprise, care and social commitment come together again with my pragmatic approach to put people back in their power.'
Market forces
Alberto developed a well-working concept over the past ten years and can put all his enthusiasm into it. There is still a cross-thinker in me, a remnant of the rebellious adolescent I once was. Having found my own way in life, I want to use my knowledge and experience to do something about the imbalance in our society. That I happen to be good at learning and maintaining myself in the complexities of our time is nice, but there is a growing group that is struggling to fit in. Often they are doers, who in the right setting and with appropriate people around them can function just fine. It is our responsibility as a society to create opportunities for them. And we as a market party can play a role in this, provided we are given the opportunity to do so.'
Those opportunities are sometimes lacking because market forces in health and welfare have failed. 'We offer a proven concept and work well with municipalities and care institutions,' says Alberto. 'Still, the possibilities of our company are not optimally used because governments also have their own work and learning companies. And at day care centers, people often stay in their jobs, even if they are capable of doing more. Because of these barriers, the flow for participation is limited. At Royal Werkbedrijf we offer competitive programs that give people the opportunity to find a suitable workplace in the region within a year. But then they have to have that opportunity, and that's where the system sometimes still gets in the way. Governments recognize that, so we hope that that flow will soon get better underway.'
Direct and clear
'Actually, Royal Werkbedrijf - just like my previous company - is a safety net for people who fall off the system,' Alberto observes. 'A group that society is putting less and less effort into. We are happy to take on that very challenge. Giving these people a push requires a different way of looking at things. Professional therapeutic knowledge and experience is certainly necessary, but only makes sense if you connect with the people. Have a click. Only then can you really get started with behavioral change. With my caring heart I know that soft-hearted masters make stinking wounds, which is why I am direct and clear. You can learn and work at your own pace and to your own ability, but we do ask for commitment and effort. Sometimes it takes a while to discover what you can do and where your motivation lies, but eventually we do find a way in. And then it takes a bit of luck, to find a place where people can continue after a course with us.
I want to make an effort for the group that falls between the lines in society. That is my motivation.
Alberto Kinderman
They are mainly doers who end up at Royal Werkbedrijf. The learning and working paths therefore revolve around practical jobs in various fields, from greenery and technology to recreation, logistics, hospitality, metal and maintenance. 'At our locations there are all kinds of opportunities to learn to participate in the work process again,' says Alberto. 'And where necessary, we also assist people at home to get things in order. Our programs are intensive, so that within a year we break patterns and build something new. This involves trial and error. In this work disappointments are part of the process, but we teach people to get up again after they have fallen. Because that's what it's all about. Not further problem solving, but working on their own strength.
To share is to multiply
To build on the concept and vision of Royal Werkbedrijf, Alberto found an investment partner in FOM. 'As a social organization, we contribute to the participation of people who are on the sidelines. How we manage that as a commercial company, I would like to share widely in the region, because sharing is multiplying. And then I also like to calculate how a basic salary can make a difference. From policy makers to SMEs: they can all contribute to normalizing what we do here. So that the group that is less able to keep up, is still given opportunities to make a meaningful contribution. When that succeeds, you see people walking upright again, and that's what I do it for.'
'As an entrepreneur, I know that profit is necessary for healthy operations. Yet a healthy balance can never be achieved without attention to people and purpose. That applies to our entire society and I hope to make a positive contribution with our work company. Every year we assist an average of ten candidates per location and when they move on to a workplace in the region, it gives an enormous feeling of satisfaction. We are happy that SME companies are willing to accept these people into their team and give them a chance. We ourselves set a good example of course: we have now hired three permanent employees after a
trajectory with us. Because social participation is what we are all responsible for.