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Updated: Aug 17, 2021
Dirk den Hollander was educated as a nurse a master in pedagogical studies. He worked as a care professional in several psychiatric hospitals, a general hospital and in several nursing homes, from 1972 till 1986. He has experience as a team coordinator and (interim) manager from 1981 till 1998.
Together with Jean Pierre Wilken, he developed the CARe Approach, initially in Holland but later on in several (mostly Eastern European) countries. His special interest lies in the care for the most vulnerable; it is Dirk’s life mission to develop methods for adequate support.
From 1997, Dirk was the Director of Education of Storm Rehabilitatie, since 2008, he is Senior Teacher (trainer and coach) and responsible for programs regarding the CARe approach and the Strengths Model at the Rino group in Utrecht (the Netherlands).
Dirk retired from his RINO job September 2018 The last years, Dirk is involved in recovery oriented activities. With others, he started in Helmond a project called ‘Nei Skoen Recovery Learning Community’, inspired by similar projects in England and the USA. This project is based on a combination of The CARe approach and Self Help traditions. Fontys, the University of Applied Science Tilburg does research after Nei Skoen and has proven it to be effective: participants recover and regain desired roles. Next to this, Dirk is still active as trainer and coach for the CARe Network.
NEW SHOES Summit 2019
Updated: Mar 20, 2019
David trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and for many years worked as an actor, which included (at a young age) appearing in the Royal Ballet production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Rudolf Nureyev. He has also appeared in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket, Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element as well as several British theatre and television productions. For several years David worked as an Associate Lecturer at Drama Centre / Central St Martin’s running their screenwriting module for final year acting students, which involved facilitating group work for students, script development and dramaturgy.
For over a decade he has been involved with homeless charities, mainly at St Mungo’s, as a life-skills coach, ranging through cookery, creative and dramatic writing, and – using his own previous experience as a drummer with the punk band VeeVV https://myspace.com/vvvee - drumming.
Having experienced homelessness himself, getting involved with homeless charities felt the right thing to do; it has helped with his own recovery.
The drumming sessions he has run at The Recovery College at St Mungo’s is a group activity. It is bringing people together - with or without drumming skills. We help each other to focus on a rhythm, to loosen all our tensions and create our own soundscape.
NEW SHOES Summit 2019
Updated: Mar 20, 2019
KEYNOTE Title: "Collectively Transforming Systems: Building Communities of Healing "
The Kiva Center: Central Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community
The Kiva Center’s main focus is on promoting wellness and resilience through mutual support. The Kiva Center believes in every person’s right to mental health and their ability to achieve it. We believe that relationships are at the center of what heals people who have experienced mental/emotional health challenges. We are united by our shared experience and common humanity. Our stories, collective wisdom and strength, guide us and our community to wellness.
Vesper Moore, CPS
Director of Zia Access Center & Young Adult Services
United States: Central Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community
Vesper has been a part of the Central Mass Recovery Learning Community for several years and works as the Director of Zia, a young adult access center operated by the Central Mass Recovery Learning Community’s connection site, Kiva Center. Zia has 2 locations one in the Kiva Center and the other at Open Sky Community Services, Worcester, MA. Vesper is a person of many lived experiences they are an inter-sectional activist and is one of CMRLC’s state and nation-wide trainers. They train curriculums surrounding the topics of trauma, trauma-informed services, state-wide organizational training development, public health, mental health, peer support, gender, queer & trans communities, attraction, race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, social work and social justice. Vesper is skilled in many aspects of peer specialist/mutuality-based work such as peer bridging, general peer support work, peer supervision, peer mentoring, recovery-based coaching and peer facilitation. Vesper is bi-lingual and has supported their Latin community through the advocacy group called “Latinos en Accion (Latinos in action.)” Vesper as a lecturer and instructor has taught at various universities and has spoken on several panels within Central Massachusetts and beyond. They were awarded the Transformation Center’s “Inspirational Journey Award” in 2017 and were awarded one of the national awards for excellence in diversity and inclusion, the Cookie Gant & Bill Compton LGBTQIA Award in 2018. Vesper works to shift the paradigm in regard to social constructs associated with the human experience and believes the process to achieving wholeness is not only possible but probable for each person who seeks it.
NEW SHOES Summit 2019
