A behind-the-scenes look at the Flexiforum Development Center's apprenticeship lines

The Flexiforum Development Center offers residents with Social assistance benefit benefits intensive guidance and training to prepare them for the labor market. With three apprenticeships in Health, green space and retail, participants are given the opportunity to discover their talents and develop further, with the goal of moving on to paid work.

The Ruilwinkel and Woonzorg Elisabeth Stift work together with the Flexiforum Development Center. In this interview, May Hol, director of the Ruilwinkel, and Michel Renierkens, director of Woonzorg Elisabeth Stift, share their experiences and insights about the apprenticeship programs they offer.

Opportunity learning environment

"The apprenticeship program within the Swap Shop is a great opportunity for people on welfare to return to active participation in the labor market," says May. "When we started the Ruilwinkel ten years ago, we had two objectives: to promote the reuse of materials and to provide work experience for people on Social assistance benefit benefits so that they can move back into the labor market. The apprenticeship program makes it possible to achieve these objectives."

There is now even more focus on participant development. "With the arrival of development coaches within the apprenticeship lines, we can guide participants even better," May says. "The coaches focus on participants' personal and professional growth and encourage eventual advancement into paid employment. The goal is clear: to help people develop their workforce skills and guide them to sustainable workplaces."

Success Stories

May notes that this is actually happening: "We already have many success stories. People regularly move on to paid jobs, for example at companies like IKEA or call centers. That is exactly what we want to achieve with the apprenticeship program: to help people develop their employee skills and guide them to a sustainable workplace. But, every participant who grows here is already a success story in itself for us."

Michel Renierkens talks about the apprenticeship program at Woonzorg Elisabeth Stift: "In 2015, we started setting up the Woonzorg Elisabeth Stift, aimed at housing and supporting single elderly people. Right from the beginning, we made room in our plan for reintegration candidates. This fits perfectly with our mission: we not only care for our residents, but also offer people with a distance to the labor market the opportunity to find their place in society again."

Hands-on work experience 

Michel explains how the apprenticeship program works in practice: "Our reintegration candidates perform roles as hostesses or hosts, supporting residents in providing meals, household chores and activities. We also have candidates who work in the garden or take care of building maintenance. This provides them with valuable real-world work experience."

As with the Exchange Shop, there are now also development coaches within Woonzorg Elisabeth Stift who take on the supervision of the participants. Michel: "Until the end of 2024 we took care of the work supervision ourselves, but with the arrival of the development coaches from the municipality we were able to transfer this task. This ensures more continuity and faster through-flow and outflow of candidates. We are already seeing many positive results: some participants move on to a paid position as a care assistant or follow internal training at MeanderGroep. There are also candidates who move on to paid work in the green sector."

Successful collaborations

The collaboration of the Flexiforum Development Center with local partners such as the Ruilwinkel and Woonzorg Elisabeth Stift, demonstrates how effective apprenticeship programs can be in guiding people with Social assistance benefit into sustainable employment. Thanks to intensive guidance, hands-on experience and close collaboration with local partners, participants have the opportunity to develop their talents and return to full participation in the labor market. As May says, "Everyone who advances is a success for us. And those successes continue to grow."