Brainport voor elkaar: the silent driving force behind a strong society
Brainport is one of the fastest growing economic areas in the Netherlands. This rapid development also brings new challenges. While businesses are flourishing and the region is gaining international strength, it is important to prevent social divisions from widening. That is precisely why strengthening social cohesion and creating equal opportunities is essential. Only if all residents can participate will Brainport remain a powerful and resilient region in the future.
To strengthen the social foundation in Brainport, the Brainport voor Elkaar association was established last year. Companies, social organisations, governments and educational institutions work together on an equal footing to promote social cohesion and equal opportunities on the basis of a joint agenda. Not as a counterpart to economic development, but as a prerequisite for sustainable growth. Through concrete programmes, smart collaborations and inspiring examples, the association connects companies and organisations – so that no one has to stand on the sidelines.
Working together in a changing region
“The Brainport region is flourishing,” says Marc Cootjans, vice-chairman of the board of Brainport voor Elkaar. “At the same time, social challenges are increasing: there is a shortage of healthcare personnel, new residents are seeking their place in society, and pressure on education and welfare organisations is mounting. It is precisely in this context that attention to equal opportunities and social cohesion is a necessity.”
Employers in the Brainport voor Elkaar association have an important role to play in this. As an employer, you have the opportunity to contribute preventively and proactively to the well-being and welfare of your employees and their environment. With over 400,000 employees in this region, the (potential) reach is enormous. Cootjans: "The great thing is: we don't have to reinvent the wheel. There are already countless good initiatives. "
"Our task is to bundle them, scale them up and make them more widely accessible. We focus on three main goals: helping 5,000 people in need of support find work with over 1,000 inclusive employers, improving the financial health of 250,000 residents, strengthening the (digital) skills of 7,500 residents, and deploying the knowledge and competencies of 100,000 corporate volunteers to address social challenges. We are able to do this thanks to long-term financial support from the regional business community through the Brainport Partnerfonds.
From coffee machines to maternity care planning
Although Brainport for Each Other has not been around for long, the association's impact is already tangible. Take the Language Buddies at Work programme, in which colleagues help each other with language and culture. Ukrainian employees learn informal Dutch words during their work – and why Dutch people always talk about the weather. ‘A chat at the coffee machine may seem insignificant,’ says Jacline de Kort, Social Innovation and Development Manager, ‘but it makes the difference between participating and feeling excluded. Not only at work, but especially at home in your own neighbourhood, at the school playground or your children's sports club.’
Or the project that uses AI to better predict births, so that maternity care workers can be deployed more effectively. ‘A healthcare institution came to us with that question,’ says De Kort. ‘We connected them with Data & AI professionals from Datacacation at the High Tech Campus. This creates a structural collaboration that is valuable for both parties.’
Hundreds of thousands of hours of commitment from corporate volunteers
Real connections are created by doing things together. That is why Brainport voor Elkaar encourages volunteering by companies, organisations and institutions. Not as a non-binding extra, but as a structural part of good employment practices. ‘Imagine if everyone in the region did something for someone else one day a year,’ says Cootjans. ‘That would amount to hundreds of thousands of hours of commitment, extra hands in places where they are desperately needed.’
There are already inspiring examples. Communication professionals help social organisations to reach more residents. Other companies deploy their people as data analysts for social organisations or lend a hand with neighbourhood initiatives. ‘And that's exactly what we're here for,’ says De Kort. ‘We're the middleman. We bring supply and demand together.’
A network in which no one is a spectator
Brainport voor Elkaar is not a project organisation, but an association. Companies, social organisations, governments and educational institutions work together as equals. And that diversity is a strength, says Cootjans: ‘They all have a different focus, and normally you don't see these parties sitting down together very often. Now they do. And that leads to things that wouldn't otherwise happen.’
The network is growing. Currently, more than 100,000 employees are participating through their organisations. The meetings are full, matches are being made, and ideas are being exchanged. And more importantly, a shared sense of responsibility for the region is emerging.
