Foundation De Omslag organised a kick-off: with a social tour, the results of the Monitor 2015 of Amsterdam’s social firms and the launch of a campaign, we light the way to make social procurement standard practice in Amsterdam.

An annual report from De Omslag is done concisely, in style and online.

We offer you an overview of the things we found significant in 2014. We briefly touch on the highlights; scroll with us through last year’s efforts, and you’ll immediately be informed and up to date, ready for the next step in 2015.

On Friday, November 28, De Omslag took interested party members of D66 on a bike tour to visit various social firms and projects throughout the city. It was by their own accounts a resourceful and valuable day that provided much inspiration for legislation. You can read the full report on their website by clicking here: Biking tour of social firms

Bij de Gemeente Amsterdam wordt goed nagedacht over de functie van sociale firma’s. De gemeente heeft alle plannen nog niet goedgekeurd, maar alle neuzen lijken wel dezelfde kant op te staan. De Omslag denkt dat de gemeentelijke actielijnen belangrijk zijn om sociale firma’s in Amsterdam te steunen, maar mag het een onsje meer zijn? Een analyse vanuit De Omslag.

The Amsterdam Participation Fair on November 11, 2014 was christened the Jekuntmeer.nl Fair. Nearly 1800 visitors attended the fair this year where over 70 projects, organisations and companies were exhibited. Besides jobs, other social participation recruitment opportunities were also widely represented. Everything was present from neighborhood organisations, activities in the community, (vocational) day services and education opportunities; everything was available!

In the program residents-controlled neighborhood development in the context of the municipal program Confidence in the city we worked hard in recent years in three districts to make it possible for all Amsterdam citizens with a disability to be a part of the social movement of the city.

Innovation, procurement as flanking policy, clear competitive positions and measures that strengthen work projects and social organizations; these have been determined as the most important issues at hand. On Thursday, August 28 2014 we had an enjoyable introductory meeting with new councilman Work, Income and Participation Arjan Vliegenthart.

Will Tinnemans (author of among others De kwetsbaren) passed away of a heart attack on October 28th in Grenoble. He was to substantiate the opening of the Participation Fair with his straightforward opinions in a spoken column. We mourn this loss and wish his family and friends strength in this difficult time.

CRE8 is a newly opened social firm which assists youth that are far removed from the job market by creating chances to develop and cultivate interests, build up work experience and receive training in the use of machinery in the workplace. De Omslag was present for the opening of social firm CRE8.