EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Mother Child Centre (MKC)

Mother Child Centre (MKC) - Amsterdam

Introduction

The Mother Child Centre (MKC) is a multi-functional, low-threshold welfare initiative for women from Amsterdam’s Kolenkit neighbourhood. The residents of this neighbourhood in the urban district of Bos and Lommer are generally poorly educated and unemployment is high.

Problem

How can the deprived position of women from the Kolenkit neighbourhood be improved?

Description

The MKC concentrates on immigrant (particularly Moroccan and Turkish) mothers, who live in isolation. Activities are oriented towards bringing women out of this isolation. For them, this is often the first step towards participation in society. In all activities, the focus is on empowerment for the women in the neighbourhood.

The women not only have the opportunity to attend Dutch and Arabic language classes, but sewing classes, aerobics, computer courses, cooking classes, assertiveness training and a course entitled ‘successful on the work floor’ as well. Dutch language lessons are sometimes combined with trainee posts.

Approach

Besides the provision of the courses, the centre provides support for education and mental or physical health. The Marhaba meeting centre was set up to provide women with a place where they can come into contact with each other or relax. Activities connected to the themes of children and health take place here. These themes are discussed together with female social workers who speak foreign languages. Child care is provided for the children of participants during these activities.

Results

The MKC team has eight staff members. There are also many volunteers who offer their services in the nursery and the Marhaba meeting centre.
On average, 400 women take part in activities every week. This means that about 30% of the women in the neighbourhood have been reached.
Visitors to the MKC usually have a large language deficit and little work experience. The goal of landing a paid job after six months often turns out to be impossible to achieve.
Many women made progress as a result of the extra language classes.
A large proportion of the participants are active as volunteers in a school or with the MKC itself.

Contact info

Mother Child Centre
H. Blok, tel. +31 20 5812782

Project start date

08/02/2003

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Keywords

Social services