(SAMENSPRAAK, literally means ’Speaking together’/’Dialogue’)

SamenSpraak Rivierenbuurt is looking for volunteers willing to help non-native speakers improve their fluency in Dutch. The purpose of this is have Dutch people and people of a different nationality living in this district come into contact with each other by means of the Dutch language. They meet in a  domestic atmosphere to chat about their daily lives. This informal contact gives non-native speakers the opportunity to learn Dutch in an informal way, but also to learn to know one’s way about in Dutch society. For Dutch people it is an opportunity to learn about different cultures. The realisation of this project is in the hands of volunteers. These coaches mediate between non-Dutch speakers and Dutch mentors who sign on for this project: they will then meet once a week and start speaking Dutch together. So it is not a language class. The conversations will take place in turn at the homes of the two participants. The contact lasts one year. After that both the mentor and the non-native speaker will be mediated again.

For whom is SamenSpraak intended?
Non-native speakers who would like to improve their Dutch can register for Samenspraak.

Conditions to participate are:
1. Register oneself
2. Be accessible by telephone
3. Intending to stay in The Netherlands for a longer period of time
4. Have a basic knowledge of Dutch, without an interpreter, no matter how poor your Dutch is.

They will be accompanied by Dutch volunteers – people who like to help non-native speakers to improve their fluency in Dutch. Every volunteer gets a personal coach who supports him/her in the SamenSpraak-contact. Apart from that the Dutch mentors can attend the so-called ‘Mentor days’ where they can listen to presentations about issues such as intercultural communication and Dutch as a Second Language. They will also meet other volunteers there, with whom they can exchange experiences.

For both non-native speakers as well as the Dutch volunteers conditions are that they:
1. live in the district Amsterdam Zuid;
2. have a few hours available every week;
3. participate for at least a year.