1. What role do you play in your institute/embassy?
I work in the Cultural Engagement team at the British Council in the Netherlands as Project Manager. Together with our Head of Education, I work on a range of programmes that aim to create opportunities for young people and build trust between institutions and people. This includes a series of Knowledge Exchange events, which includes policy dialogues, webinars, and events, from anti-racism to public engagement. I have the lead responsibility for cultural engagement with young people. This includes supporting teachers to build inclusive classrooms and explore global challenges, as well as a new scheme to support future leaders in the higher education and cultural sectors, for those aged 20 to 35 years of age to exchange ideas and develop their skills.
2. How do you contribute to EUNIC?
The British Council has been part of the EUNIC Netherlands cluster for a long time. Over the years, we have taken part in various events, such as the European Literature Night with authors from the UK, the European Day of Languages with a teacher of Welsh, and many more. I am personally most active in the EUNIC Diversity group. As a member of this group, I organised an unconscious bias training for all EUNIC members as well as hosted a session on diversity at our office in Amsterdam. We are currently working on guidelines for EUNIC events that strive to enhance and promote inclusive practices and content within EUNIC programmes.
3. What is the best aspect about being a EUNIC Netherlands member?
For me, the best aspect of being part of EUNIC is the contact with (international) colleagues that represent organisations from all over Europe. It is very valuable to hear what themes other organisations are working on and to see where there are opportunities to collaborate and share experience. Especially in the area of diversity and inclusion, I feel there is a lot we can learn from each other, as each member is able to contribute a unique perspective from their country.
