We are Flexiforum - Relim & the Swap Shop

The Flexiforum in Kerkrade provides space for various municipal and social organizations, as well as service providers and commercial businesses. Based on the central themes of learning, working and living, the environment of the Flexiforum offers the various tenants an optimal place to create a dynamic and lively community and thus to serve the residents of Kerkrade even better. This time speaking to Antoine Janssen of Relim and Janyi Lauvenberg-Tsé and Linda Claassen-Geelen of the Ruilwinkel.

Janyi Lauvenberg-Tsé and Linda Claassens-Geelen of the Swap Shop

"The Swap Shop is there for all target groups. The moment you hand in stuff or toys you get points, which you can then use to buy stuff. This way there is no money involved, but only exchange," Janyi says.

The employees of the Ruilwinkel consist, on the one hand, of regular volunteers who, due to circumstances, can no longer return to the labor market and have a meaningful day at the Ruilwinkel. On the other hand, employees are deployed from a reintegration program of the municipality, on their way back to the regular labor market. The Ruilwinkel has short lines of communication with welfare organizations, including the Impuls foundation.

"The swap store also helps to bring people out of social isolation. Very important. It really is a great initiative, which has a central place in the Flexiforum for a reason," Linda adds.

Antoine Janssen of Relim

Relim is a human-development company with nearly 600 employees and about 100 staff members. The staff members are the people actually employed by Relim, the employees are the clients of Relim, who are deliberately called employees. Relim has 24 workplaces, one of which is the Flexiforum. The main focus at that location is production as preparation for regular employment.

We have a commitment to all tenants in that we are present in the house and work according to an established plan for many tenants tomorrow. For example, we take care of cleaning the entire Flexiforum. Or as Antoine nicely puts it, "creating sweat drops on the forehead."  

According to Antoine, within Relim, employees learn to work on their own responsibility. "With us, they learn to deal with all the factors they also encounter in a regular work environment, such as deadlines and production agreements," Antoine said.