Amy Dunn T18, Lotta Vos T18, Jaap van ’t Veer T16, Stefanie Vermeulen, Anne van den Broek and Linn Luijerink
Description
ClubvanONS functions as an intermediary space between institutional systems and individual citizens. The initiative aims to bring lived experiences and multivocal perspectives more prominently into view and place them right next to the system world. It is a space where multivocality is expressive and where people get to be free from systemic labels such as ‘the student’ or ‘the patient’. At ClubvanONS, we are all equal, regardless of one’s background or intellect. I get to be Amy, and you get to be whoever you want to be. ClubvanONS seeks to be the inbetween-space between policy-driven structures and the everyday realities of people living in neighbourhoods.
Policies are frequently considered and made about and for people, rather than with them. To gain a better understanding of this imbalance, Stefanie researched citizen participation in neighbourhoods. The findings showed that the so-called participation ladder is largely absent. Usually, civil servants visit a neighbourhood with a predetermined design, speak to one or two residents, and subsequently do not incorporate their input into action or policy.
Anne’s master's thesis on speaking truth to power from the Hip-Hop culture and what it requires from the world to truly hear and see people for who they are has become another important pillar within our movement.
Goals
To put it simply: We collect lost voices that get overlooked by systems or policymakers. We see, hear, and give back through art instead of collecting statistical data. We’re keen to make people aware of their voice and teach them how to make use of it. After all, you’re not just a number on a sheet or a name on a laptop: you’re a citizen with a say, and it might be about time we all started using this say a lot more.
(Beneficial) outcomes
In the past half year, we have been experimenting with the most effective ways to gather lost voices: We organised set meetings where people could come and go, we took the bus out on the road and visited neighbourhoods, and we designed a clubhouse for young people to find their voice. Moreover, we have been attempting to get our movement out there and branch out to a dedicated group of 100 people. We will continue to roam around, find lost voices in neighbourhoods, and become more well-known with our (yet to be released) brand-identity, logo, and street credit! In the long run, we hope to become a nationwide name, branch out to different cities, and prove to everyone that you do not need to be high up in the hierarchy or collect a ton of statistics to make change or leave an impact: Sometimes, all you need is to listen, see, and dare to do so. We’re keen to discover what the future holds for us, as this is only the beginning of what will hopefully be a revolutionary pillar towards a more coherent, united society!
Location
For now, we’re located in Breda, mostly in the neighbourhoods Heuvel, Ijpelaar, and Doornbos-Linie. Our brand identity, the bus, gets taken to these places from March to May 2026! These are the moments in which we take time to discover what people in a neighbourhood might miss or need.
