ToekomstATELIERdelAvenir (in short: TADA)

With the non-profit that I launched/grew the past decade, we have impacted thousands.

·      We brought deep change into many lives with the direct actions of TADA, that has by now empowered +- 1300 socially vulnerable teens and families, that live in the most challenging neighbourhoods of Brussels. Our intense, multi-annual programs motivate the teens to keep on developing themselves and to become responsible citizens eager to participate to the society they live in.

·      Telling our story, we inspired many thousands more to increasingly take individual responsibility in favour of more inclusion. By sharing best practices, we inspired 20 projects in Belgium to get launched already.

By applying for the prize, I hope to be among the lucky ones that can:

·      Scale up to the impact of their organisation.

·      Scale up their personal impact. Via actions in the field of storytelling mainly, I would like to keep on fighting for a more inclusive society via my role at TADA, but also via other channels. (Today, I am implicated amongst others in Belgium’s’ 40 under 40 and The foundation of queen Mathilde).

·      Shape myself further, gaining insights from your community.

From childhood on, I have been immersed in the world of entrepreneurship. My parents, brother and husband are all entrepreneurs. Willingness to act and take initiative is in my blood. The difference between me and my near ones?  I’ve always liked societal entrepreneurship, whereas my family worked for economical profit.

In 2011, I got inspired to act 'for a more inclusive Brussels/Belgium', during my work in the EP. At a conference regarding the best practices in the EU in terms of informal education for disadvantaged youth, I met with Heleen Terwijn, the founder of the internationally respected IMC Weekendschool. I decided I wanted to launch TADA, the Belgian equivalent of IMC Weekendschool.  By 2012, I had quit my job in politics and launched TADA, to give more sense to my life and the lives of many others.  

TADA has by 2021 grown out to be a respected ONG (both in Dutch and French speaking Belgium). In the future, I would love to keep on growing the impact of TADA, engaging as many people as possible to increasingly take individual responsibility towards a more inclusive society, with equal chances for development for all.

Educational inequality in Belgium is high. PISA studies (source: OECD) show that students in Belgium coming from underprivileged neighbourhoods or/and with a migration background run a much higher risk to learning difficulties and delay compared to their peers elsewhere in Europe. The situation in Brussels is challenging : no less than 4 out of 10 children are born in poverty.

The result? Far more students in Brussels drop out at school without a degree and become ‘NEET’ (youngsters between 15 and 29 years old, nor in education, nor in employment). NEETs are vulnerable to matters as unemployment, delinquency, extreme radicalisation. According to 1 study, NEET are on average about 20 years of their professional live inactive, whereas only 1 year at unemployment costs more than 30.000 euros/capita.

TADA exists to support as many teens as possible, born in poverty in Brussels, to avoid them to give up on learning and become NEET. Data show that up until today, about 9 out of 10 youngsters supported by TADA continue going to the traditional school and that close to 0% became NEET.

Because traditional school does not do for disadvantaged teens, organisations such as TADA are needed.  

‘Because you will benefit from it, later.’ This is the advice we give teens when we put them to their homework. But what does ‘later’ mean exactly? Disadvantaged children particularly lack this insight into ‘later’. Often, their horizons are limited. They know few role models or people with diverse professional backgrounds whom they can question about the labor market or ‘later’. TADA fills in the gap.

TADA is the 1st Belgian network that involves citizens, civil society and businesses in the emancipation of disadvantaged teens and their entourage.

TADA offers weekendschool classes to Brussels’ disadvantaged teens. They start the TADA-adventure at age 10 with 3 years of intense, weekly coaching. Afterwards, TADA offers continuous support via an alumni program (14 to 18+).

TADA shows these teens what the future could look like by introducing them to numerous disciplines such as law, medicine, engineering or finance. Volunteers – passionate about their job – serve as guest teachers. They provide an overview of their disciplines while working together with the teens in a context that sets the learningbar high, while fostering wellbeing.

By sharing knowledge, TADA is a contagious example, inspiring adults too, to increasingly act for inclusion.

We do several matters:

1) Empower disadvantaged youth

TADA makes them acquire self-confidence, willingness to learn, life skills and a sense of belonging to Belgian society. By arming its pupils against demotivation, TADA tackles some of the causes of issues such as early school drop-out, delinquency, unemployment. 

In 20-21, we coached +- 1300 teens (+ families).

·      9 out of 10 continue going to the traditional school.

·      A large majority shows net progress in terms of general development.

·      Few are NEET.

 2) Fight intolerance and polarisation

TADA’s intercultural, intergenerational encounters improve the dialogue amongst people who wouldn’t normally meet, thereby enhancing cohesion.

Since TADA’s launch, over 7500 volunteers were implicated and dozens of companies.

·       9 out of 10 volunteers say it was a mutually enriching learning-experience.

3) Invite people to look differently at education and inclusion, and to act upon insights!

The last years, we started working on sharing lessons learned and advocacy.

Elements of the TADA-approach are by 20-21 spread

·      In traditional education, by 25 ex-employees and by 300 teachers/ principals that attended a TADA-workshop for adults.

·      In other ONGs, companies (...). 20 projects  – inspired by TADA – were launched.