The Confidants
The Student Support Group has initiated the project Confidant: A Listening Ear. Most of the confidants are alums from the Rietveld Academie or Sandberg Instituut and and with all of them, concern for the welfare of students is paramount.
Confidants actively approach all students to offer a listening ear. They meet students individually to check in, and, if necessary, refer students to the appropriate support persons at school (counselor, psychologist, student affairs, etc.), or elsewhere. Confidants provide general support and guidance regarding internal and external professionals, procedures and regulations, as well as complaint procedures. It is an additional student support initiative, independent, and between the education departments and the student counsellor.
Contact: confidant@rietveldacademie.nl
Non-EU community
The initiative of the non-EU community aims to improve the support system available both in the Rietveld Academie and in Sandberg Institute.
This trajectory focuses on:
1. Contact with students before arrival to the Netherlands
2. Reinforcing the community during the study:
- Gatherings "Together in bureaucracies": During the year we will have different gatherings that will go around bureaucratic processes that students need to pass through. Is a "hands on" moment, where we will have an expert guest to help, and after we will have dinner and drinks together. A space to actively build a community and support system for non-EU students.
- Setting up a platform where all the information already available is centralized and updated as it goes, with inputs from students. This will be open source, ever changing space for the information to live.
- One on one meetings: Francisca will be available for meetings or calls with students every Tuesday and Thursday. If you have any questions, comments or you just need to talk, please send an email to noneusupport@rietveldacademie.nl or noneusupport@sandberg.nl
3. Thinking and preparing life after graduation: Inviting funds, lawyers and other guests to help prepare the possible visa application to stay in The Netherlands.
Contact: Francisca Khamis Giacoman - noneusupport@rietveldacademie.nl / noneusupport@sandberg.nl
There are many student unions in the academy. These groups are currently active:
Black Student Union
The Black Student Union (USB) is an organization aiming to facilitate and support a network of Black students, alumni, and partners of the Gerrit Rietveld Academie and Sandberg Instituut.
Contact: Nagare Willemsen / blackstudentunion.usb@gmail.com
Asian Union
The Asian Union would like to embrace all who feel imposed under the umbrella term "asian", judged through such superficial aspects as your appearance, background, and racial origin.
The Asian Union strives to create a safe space for "asians" whose needs, interests and experiences are neglected and manipulated within the euro-centric constraints of the Gerrit Rietveld Academie and Sandberg Instituut.
We will not be dismissed as "sensitive" but will demand sensitivity from and toward transgressors.
Contact: Juni Mun / augrasi.ve@gmail.com
Near East Union
Near East Union consists of people from Middle East or people with Middle Eastern roots to recalibrate the compass to understand: middle of what and whose east? NEU aims to start a discussion about Non- European people’s situations in Sandberg Institute and Gerrit Rietveld Academie. NEU wants to bring its members together to share their experiences in their new life, and find out common strategies from the common struggles. NEU welcomes all who have something to say about being a Middle Eastern within the frameworks of the Gerrit Rietveld Academie and Sandberg Institute.
Contact: Emirhan Akin / neareastunion@gmail.com
Latin American Caribbean Union
The LCU is an initiative within the Rietveld and Sandberg aiming to rebuild the space we hold within the school by nurturing our mixed community of students with a more inclusive and diverse approach.
Contact: latincaribbeangroup@gmail.com