15 Years De Vonk Advies

My company De Vonk has been around for 15 years! 🌼 Actually, it was by chance that I started my own business. After returning from 10 years of development work and organizational consulting in West Africa, I wasn’t really happy in my temporary job. Suddenly, I got a call from a former colleague. He had a big assignment: community building in the Schilderswijk neighborhood in The Hague. Was I interested? Definitely! And would I be willing to become self-employed? Alright…

In the Schilderwijk neighborhood, I got to know the many migrant groups that enrich the Netherlands. After a few wonderful years, I continued in the exciting field of cultural communication and intercultural management. That too has been and continues to be a fantastic journey, with training, coaching, and advising all kinds of clients: in business, healthcare, development organizations, education, and with groups with a migration background in the Netherlands. So that we can all understand each other a little better culturally and work together!

There is a lot to do in the Netherlands and far beyond. In those 15 years, I was able to work in various European countries, in Ghana, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mexico, and even Japan. There have been publications: short and longer articles and two books: See what the Dutch Say and Cultural Confluence in Organizational Change. I have been able to work in various partnerships and have met some wonderful partners.

And the best thing of all is the diverse stories of all the participants, the hilarious anecdotes, the complex dilemmas, and the many, many conversations that unfold time and time again. My thanks go out to all those participants, colleagues, and partners. You are an enrichment, and together with you, De Vonk can continue for years to come. Will you join us? Hop on the bus!