August 2026
The newsletter of Wel zo Roze
Welcome to the first edition of Wel zo op de hoogte.
With this newsletter we keep you up to date on the development of our foundation, new initiatives, volunteer opportunities and activities within the community.
In this first period the focus is mainly on building Wel zo Roze. What is happening behind the scenes? What are we working on? Which plans are taking shape? And how might you contribute? Later on, updates from working groups, committees and activities will get more and more space.
We deliberately keep the items short. Would you like to know more? Then you can click through to our website for the full story.
Enjoy reading!
In recent months we have taken important steps. With the founding of the foundation, the launch of our website and our first visibility during WorldPride, Wel zo Roze is taking shape more and more.
Behind the scenes we are working on the next phase. Besides volunteers, we are looking for a place where we can meet, hold meetings and organise activities. We have two promising locations in mind and will start talking with them soon.
Funding our plans also requires a lot of attention. We have an application running with the Rabo Coöperatiefonds and will soon start applications with the Oranje Fonds and the City of Amsterdam. Wel zo Roze has now officially been granted ANBI status.
We are proud of what already stands and look ahead to the next steps with great enthusiasm.
Sjaak Blenk & Nelly Duijndam
Sometimes the best conversations happen between people who would otherwise never meet. During WorldPride, 22 LGBTIQ+ seniors and 27 American students came together in Amsterdam.
They talked about lived experience, visibility, acceptance and what community really means. An afternoon that showed how much generations can learn from each other.
WorldPride was a special moment for Wel zo Roze. For the first time we introduced ourselves to a wide audience and talked about our plans and ambitions.
We met people who want to volunteer, help shape activities or get involved in our mission in another way.
Wel zo Roze is growing. That is why we are looking for people who want to help build our foundation.
To realise our plans, we are expanding the board and setting up committees for communications, publicity, volunteer policy and volunteer recruitment. Together they help build meet-ups, the buddy programme and future support projects. At the same time, we are spreading the work across more people so that together we can achieve more.
Below you will find a number of vacancies you can respond to directly. More information and other volunteer roles can be found on our website.
Perhaps your talents lie elsewhere. We would still love to meet you. Would you like to contribute yourself or do you know someone who would be a good fit? Let us know via the contact form on the website or send an email to info@welzoroze.nl. We will contact everyone who signs up.
Wel zo Roze does not only organise activities; we also want to contribute to a stronger and better connected LGBTIQ+ community. That is why we explicitly position ourselves as a network organisation.
Dozens of organisations in Amsterdam are active for different groups within the community. We have already approached the first organisations and would love to talk about how we can strengthen each other. In doing so, we always look for collaboration and complementarity with what already exists, so that we achieve more without overlapping.
Connecting different groups within the community is also an important goal for us. A beautiful example is Senior Meet Young Ones, which has now been brought under Wel zo Roze. In the future we see more opportunities to connect people, initiatives and organisations.
We are also exploring themed meetings and want to actively involve partner organisations in the further development of Wel zo Roze.
Do you work with an organisation, initiative or network and see opportunities to make a greater impact together for the LGBTIQ+ community? We would love to hear from you.
With a one-off or monthly donation you help us make activities, outings and practical support possible that cannot be financed from subsidies.
Think, for example, of travel costs or a museum annual pass, so that buddies can go out together. Every contribution helps us make more connection, support and community possible.
You can easily make a donation via our website. Are you considering a larger contribution or do you know a person, organisation or company that might want to contribute to our mission? Please contact us via voorzitter@welzoroze.nl for a personal conversation. Wel zo Roze is registered as an ANBI organisation in the Netherlands. Donations may be tax deductible subject to applicable regulations.
Do you have a suggestion for Wel zo Roze, an idea for an activity, or feedback on this newsletter? We'd love to hear from you. Together we make our foundation — and this newsletter — a little better every time.
