Bij Thuis voel je je echt thuis, maar niet zonder eerste obstakels

04-08-2025

Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

Herken je dit?

Een paar weken geleden spraken studenten met bezoekers van Thuis. Ze onderzochten hoe inclusief Welsaam (netwerk van 23 sociaal-maatschappelijke organisaties in Wageningen) eigenlijk is. Hun bevindingen? Twee dingen sprongen eruit:

  • Onduidelijk aanbod - Inwoners weten niet wat er allemaal bij Welsaam hoort. Waar moet je zijn voor wat?

  • Ingewikkeld taalgebruik - Te moeilijke woorden, eindeloze zinnen. Dat helpt niemand vooruit.

De interviews met bezoekers van Thuis leveren waardevolle inzichten op. Want wie weet beter wat werkt dan degenen die er daadwerkelijk komen? Uit deze gesprekken leren we wat we goed doen én waar we kunnen groeien. Dit zeiden zij over Thuis:

"There was no barrier to come to Thuis. Absolutely no barrier. I am really happy that I came here."
"At Thuis I feel seen and heard, which I miss in other organisations ... At Thuis you can easily get along with people. Here people have ears for you and see you. That helps me here."
"The first time was not easy. I was new there. People talked to me, but I did not understand them. I was not learning Dutch. It was a bit overwhelming. Yes, it was difficult in the beginning."
"In Wageningen, I am welcome everywhere. But not as in Thuis. I can feel like myself, you know? I can be who I am and feel accepted. There is space for me."
"A lot of people there, on the computer, busy with phone for example. For the first time it is hard if you are not used to it."
"It is just a house for everyone. It is really a home, it is feeling at home. We try to make people feel at home with the host. I feel at home here … Everyone is welcome here. Thuis is not for a few people, but for everyone … Especially the city room is my favourite place. At other organisations you also have a place, but there you see nobody. Look, there is coffee and tea, and you drink. But nobody watches. Here, we try to make people at ease."