For a number of years, the NDSM-werf Foundation and the NDSM Warehouse along with Amsta Karaad for deploying people with a distance from the labor market at the NDSM shipyard. Together with the managers of the NDSM shipyard and Loods, they keep the site clean, safe and intact. We had a conversation with Marc, he tells us all about his work with the guys from Karaad at NDSM.

Marc, can you introduce yourself?

My name is Marc, I've been working here at NDSM for two years with adults with a mild mental disability, but also people with mental illnesses such as Korsakov. Two years ago, we started in the NDSM Loods where we had a small orange gypsy wagon from which we worked. We then started there with three boys who did jobs in the warehouse and that slowly grew larger. Since this year, we moved to the outdoor yard and moved into a new office this summer. Now we do jobs all over the site to keep the NDSM shipyard clean, safe and intact.

What kind of activities are these both?

We work a lot with Alex Both, the manager of the outdoor area. He then gives our boys small jobs spread across the site. In the meantime, we have found a good pattern here. Indeed, some of our participants are autistic, so they like it when they know what is on the program. For example, every Monday and Thursday, we have a fixed round for the trash cans in the NDSM Loods. All the waste is collected by our boys and brought to the press container.

Around the outdoor area, we do our rounds on go-karts and cargo bikes. The boys drive them around the site with trailers to clean up waste. You may have encountered them as a visitor! We also do some light green maintenance on the site. Then the boys set out with a brush cutter to update the grass and forest edges on the site. You notice that some boys have started to feel very responsible for their work here on the field.

I mainly see boys riding around in go-karts, can girls also come to work at NDSM?

Of course, girls are also very welcome. But in general, they don't like working here. It's physically quite tough, you have to lift and lug a lot outside. The girls in the residential groups often find that less attractive.

Can you also tell me more about Amsta Karaad in general?

Amsta is a large organization that provides care here in Amsterdam. For example, they also offer care for the elderly. Amsta Karaad is actually a small part of Amsta that works with people with a (mild) mental disability. Amsta Karaad has several residential groups in Amsterdam where people live and are offered daily activities and workplaces. The NDSM shipyard is an example of such a workplace. So all the boys who work on our site live assisted somewhere in Amsterdam. The participants also receive compensation for the work they do here.

I really like that you really built a relationship with those guys.

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I notice that it is really nice for them here. The boys often have setbacks and generally not an easy life. When they're working here and they get a compliment from a passer-by or employee, for example: “Good job!” then you can really see them perk up. That gives me a positive feeling, even with myself. Of course, this terrain is also very tough and challenging, which also has a good influence on whether the boys are having a good time. The freedom they get here has a good influence on them, and that is reflected in the work they do.

So what is your role within this structure and can you tell us a bit more about yourself?

I guide the boys here on the days they work here, which is every day from 09:00 to 15:00. Of course, I'm not doing that alone, I'm working with a fantastic team of multiple supervisors. When the day is over, we report back to the residential groups about how the day went here and how the boys did it individually.

I was originally a graphic designer, but after 13 years, I was tired of sitting behind a screen every day. I wanted to do something different and that's when I finally ended up at Amsta. They then offered me a course that I could follow to do this work and I have been doing this ever since, with great pleasure! I really like that you really built a relationship with these guys, when they come to work here almost every day for a year and a half, you really get to know them a little bit and that's really nice.

I think I speak for the entire NDSM shipyard when I say that we are very happy that you are there to keep the shipyard clean, safe, and whole. Do you have any afterburners?

We also really like it at NDSM! Here's an appeal: if you use the WMO or the WLZ, you could work with us. People are always allowed to join, the more hands the better. If interested, please contact the Client Service Office: csb@amsta.nl