During my career, people and their personal development, have been in the centre. First as a social worker, with homeless children and people addicted to drugs and alcohol. I witnessed the strengths and also the vulnerability of human beings.

As a teacher working with students, helping them to understand themselves and develop their skills and competences, was what I enjoyed doing most. From the beginning I realized the potential of an international training for the students. As they are in a stage of their life where they learn a lot about themselves, this is an ‘out of your comfort zone’ situation, with many challenges and where many skills can be trained, both professionally as personally.

When Da Vinci College, located in Dordrecht, The Netherlands, needed and international coordinator, I jumped in. This has been a great experience through which I learned a lot and had many beautiful experiences.
Winning the European Innovative VET Award, was a highlight for the colleagues working in the Technical Department.

To develop an international strategy and activities, EfVET has been crucial. Here I have met many wonderful and dedicated colleagues to start mobilities for students and teachers and also lots of different (KA2/ KA3/ COVE) projects.
Coordinating the Thematic Team on ‘Internationalisation and Learning Mobility’ was one of my personal highlights. For me this activity in EfVET is the heart of the organisation. Helping each other as peers is crucial as we all have only one really important goal: to develop education that is challenging for young people to help them find their place in life as a worker and a human being.

Thank you for being a partner, a friend, a mentor.