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Catalyzing worker co-ops & the solidarity economy

Dutch Nursing Home Offers Rent-free Housing to Students

When the Dutch government stopped funding continuing care costs for senior citizens who weren’t in dire need, nonprofit residential care facility Humanitas in Deventer, Netherlands found itself with numerous vacant rooms. At the same time, Dutch students faced higher rent and scarce housing.

Humanitas director and CEO Gea Sijpkes created a solution to solve both problems: offer students a room in the facility in exchange for 30 hours of volunteer work each month.

“If they could get a room in Humanitas,” Sijpkes told CityLab, “they wouldn’t have to borrow so much money for their study. At the same time, I have some young people in the house, which makes Humanitas the warmest and nicest home in which everybody who needs care would want to live.”

Read the full article at Shareable

 

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