avhill, Author at Osmos2022 https://osmosnetwork.com/author/avhill/ Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:51:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://osmosnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Artboard-7-150x150.png avhill, Author at Osmos2022 https://osmosnetwork.com/author/avhill/ 32 32 Marco Kooistra https://osmosnetwork.com/marco-kooistra/ https://osmosnetwork.com/marco-kooistra/#respond Wed, 13 Jul 2022 17:19:11 +0000 https://osmos2022.avhill.opalstacked.com/?p=1818 Marco is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for the organisation’s financial management. He brings the network extensive expertise in finance, fiscal strategy, business management and accounting.

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Marco’s interest in both philosophy and practice-based problem solving brought him to embrace both visual arts and finance in his career path. An early education in business management and accountancy (University of Amsterdam) set Marco up for a career in the mechanics of business. This included business management, fiscal law, financial strategy and more conventional accounting and financial auditing. Marco worked with Booz Allen Hamilton (now Strategy&, a PWC company) as an independent auditor for almost two decades. Meanwhile, he also worked as a consultant helping others develop businesses and launching his own financial accountancy consultancy firm, Lupa Company. His years of experience in both large and small businesses offer a foundation for him to support in ventures closer to his heart where he can leverage his passion for the arts and creativity.

 

Marco is quick-witted and calculated, giving an honest but well assessed response to any challenge he faces. Though he brings depth of knowledge from years of professional experience, he is not married to his ideas or methods. He welcomes novelty, if and when it proves valuable. He is a systemic, yet pragmatic, thinker. This makes Marco a great asset when exploring projects covering business and organisational dynamics.

 

Marco has a passion for projects involving sustainable food and agriculture. He has supported the financing and development of the Sonian Wood Coop. He has helped launch a number of small businesses and organisations with food and local production such as Stadshout in Amsterdam and the City of Utrecht. He volunteers extensively with the arts and community led agriculture including Stichting Klaterklanken and Stichting Meer Publiek. 

Education
  • BSc. Business economics and accountancy – University of Amsterdam (NL)
  • Diploma in fiscal economy – University of Amsterdam (NL)
  • Diploma in fiscal law – Erasmus University (NL)
  • Photography – Royal Academy of Visual Arts Den Haag (NL)
Professional experience
  • Director and project manager – Osmos Network (BE/NL)
  • Owner and director – Lupacompany (NL)
  • Co-owner and Directeur – Blipartners B.V. (NL)
  • Board director – Sonian wood coop (BE)
  • Chairman – Stichting Klaterklanken (NL)
  • Chairman – Stichting Meer Publiek. (NL)
  • Owner and Directeur – Tatam B.V. (NL)
  • Controller – Strategy& (NL)
  • Vennoot en controller – Artvice (NL)

Expertise

Production, business models & financing, business development, project development, governance models, specific skills development.

Language skills

Dutch (native)

English (fluent spoken and writing)

Marco's insights

Connecting Nature

/// Project
A European research program (H2020) developing nature based solutions: ‘bringing nature to cities and cities to nature’.

The wood of the Sonian Forest

/// Case study
Cities produce vast amounts of resources, much of which goes under used or overlooked. Case study: The Sonian Wood Coop

Everyone else

Adrian Hill

Adrian is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for general operations with expertise in production in cities and ecological systems.

Eric Haas

Eric is a co-founder of the Osmos Network, focused on the organisation’s business development.

Hanne Van Reusel

Hanne is an Osmos Network partner bringing the team expertise on the commons, participative processes and the development of public space.

Julia Rocha

Julia is an Osmos collaborator with expertise in visual communications and public space.

Laurens Van der Cruyssen

Laurens is an Osmos Network partner bringing the network expertise in psychology, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and human-centred design.

Liana Simmons

Liana is an Osmos expert bringing the network a strong foundation in collaboration and cooperation to empower local and regional organisations and communities.

Marco Kooistra

Marco is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for the organisation’s financial management. He brings the network extensive expertise in finance, fiscal strategy, business management and accounting.

Michael Kaethler

Michael is an Osmos expert bringing the network theoretical and methodological skills to address complex and systemic problems often rooted at an epistemological (knowledge) or ontological (being) level.

Nienke Schachtschabel

Nienke is an Osmos expert based Amsterdam (NL). She brings the network extensive experience in visual communication, design research and in agro-ecology.

Stephan Kampelmann

Stephan is a co-founder and expert of the Osmos Network bringing the network practical experience and theoretical knowledge on local economics, resource management and governance within bio-based production chains.

Toha De Brant

Toha is an Osmos expert bringing the network expertise in anthropology and years of practical experience with community building, advocacy and grass-roots development. As a passionate photographer, she also supports the team with documentation of events.

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]]> https://osmosnetwork.com/marco-kooistra/feed/ 0 Nienke Schachtschabel https://osmosnetwork.com/nienke-schachshabel/ https://osmosnetwork.com/nienke-schachshabel/#respond Wed, 13 Jul 2022 17:18:10 +0000 https://osmos2022.avhill.opalstacked.com/?p=1815 Nienke is an Osmos expert based Amsterdam (NL). She brings the network extensive experience in visual communication, design research and in agro-ecology.

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Trained in film and graphic design, Nienke spent two decades predominantly as a freelance designer working across the Netherlands. In this time, she covered the breadth of what is commonly considered graphic design: logos, layouts of reports and books, signs, infographics, marketing material, weekly and monthly magazines and newspapers and so on.

 

A career turning point came when she moved into design research. This gave Nienke the tools to better understand what sits behind the design process and how the design process can better understand research problems. More recently, her interest has shifted to food production and community food networks.

 

Nienke now reaches back into her background as a graphic designer to explain complex ideas and help to visually connect theory and practice. This is a great asset in challenging projects where problems are abstract and poorly defined.

Education
  • ‘Foodforest Masters’ with the Voedselboss, Martijn Aalbrechts.
  • Master Design-research – Piet Zwart Instituut (NL)
  • Graphic design – Piet Zwart Instituut (NL)
  • Film production – Filmacademie NFTA (NL)
Professional experience
  • Osmos Network
  • Research & design trainee – Studio 1:1
  • Freelance designer – working with clients such as Het Parool, Üppig Identity Store, Vandejong, Ashoka Netherlands and the City of Eindhoven

Expertise

Production, user research & engagement, strategic communication, governance models.

Language skills

Dutch (native speaker)

English (fluent)

Dutch (proficient speaking and writing)

French (basic comprehension)

Nienke's insights

Rue Haute

/// Project
Redevelopment of a social 400 unit housing complex in a dense inner-city neighbourhood fit for the 21st century.

Everyone else

Adrian Hill

Adrian is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for general operations with expertise in production in cities and ecological systems.

Eric Haas

Eric is a co-founder of the Osmos Network, focused on the organisation’s business development.

Hanne Van Reusel

Hanne is an Osmos Network partner bringing the team expertise on the commons, participative processes and the development of public space.

Julia Rocha

Julia is an Osmos collaborator with expertise in visual communications and public space.

Laurens Van der Cruyssen

Laurens is an Osmos Network partner bringing the network expertise in psychology, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and human-centred design.

Liana Simmons

Liana is an Osmos expert bringing the network a strong foundation in collaboration and cooperation to empower local and regional organisations and communities.

Marco Kooistra

Marco is a founding partner of the Osmos Network responsible for the organisation’s financial management. He brings the network extensive expertise in finance, fiscal strategy, business management and accounting.

Michael Kaethler

Michael is an Osmos expert bringing the network theoretical and methodological skills to address complex and systemic problems often rooted at an epistemological (knowledge) or ontological (being) level.

Nienke Schachtschabel

Nienke is an Osmos expert based Amsterdam (NL). She brings the network extensive experience in visual communication, design research and in agro-ecology.

Stephan Kampelmann

Stephan is a co-founder and expert of the Osmos Network bringing the network practical experience and theoretical knowledge on local economics, resource management and governance within bio-based production chains.

Toha De Brant

Toha is an Osmos expert bringing the network expertise in anthropology and years of practical experience with community building, advocacy and grass-roots development. As a passionate photographer, she also supports the team with documentation of events.

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]]> https://osmosnetwork.com/nienke-schachshabel/feed/ 0 Join the Osmos Brussels team! https://osmosnetwork.com/join-the-osmos-brussels-team/ Thu, 22 Jun 2023 18:11:55 +0000 https://osmosnetwork.com/?p=7039 The Osmos Network’s Brussels office is looking for a Dutch speaking team member

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/// Team

avhill

The Osmos Network’s Brussels office is looking for a Dutch speaking team member with at least two years professional experience in design (particularly service or human-centred design), participation, collaboration and/or communication. 

 

Osmos works on both local and European scales with a particular interest in the intersection between people, resources and place. Join us on our mission to drive sustainable and inclusive change in areas such as public space and community development, urban ecosystems and local production chains. You will contribute to high-impact projects that shape sustainability practices across a wide range of industries and sectors. Osmos offers an exciting opportunity to work with a dynamic and passionate team supporting change for a world in transition. 

 

What you’ll be doing:

  • Collaborate within multidisciplinary teams to address complex problems.
  • Conduct user research and usability testing.
  • Prepare, facilitate and process workshops to gather information and validate decisions. Apply techniques from a human-centered design, service design and design thinking to understand needs and translate them into intuitive and effective outcomes.
  • Create visually compelling and user-friendly designs (digital and print) including websites, presentations and communications material.
  • Communicate concepts and ideas effectively to stakeholders and user-groups, incorporating feedback and iterating designs based on input stakeholders and users. 
  • Synthesise ideas and observations into reports.

 

What we’re looking for from you:

  • A keen interest to learn and grow within the team.
  • At least 2 years of professional experience within design, planning, sociology, project management or associated disciplines with practical experience in participation, collaboration, and communication.
  • A strong  understanding of process management, participation methodologies and tools for collaboration.
  • Confident communication skills in both Dutch and English, with the ability to effectively present and articulate complex concepts to diverse stakeholders. Proficiency in other languages (especially French) is very welcome. 
  • Experience with  design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and familiarity with digital prototyping tools.

 

What you’ll get from working with Osmos:

  • Opportunities to learn and grow skills in project development, facilitation, stakeholder management and process design. 
  • Flexible working hours. 
  • Space at a freshly renovated office, five minutes walk from the Brussels South station. 
  • Training and personal development.
  • A freelance contract for a minimum 4 days a week work.

 

Interested? Send the following to brussels@osmosnetwork.com: 

  • A CV describing your work experience 
  • A letter of interest to tell us about your work interests, how you work and how you could contribute to our team. 
  • A quick sketch or infographic to tell us a little more about yourself. 

 

Applications are open until July 10, 2023. 

Interviews will be held in July.

Start from September.

 

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]]> Engaging communities in times of Corona https://osmosnetwork.com/engaging-communities-in-times-of-corona/ https://osmosnetwork.com/engaging-communities-in-times-of-corona/#respond Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:30:06 +0000 https://osmosnetwork.com/?p=6848 /// Reflection
Revisit to some tumultuous and insightful times.

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/// Reflection

avhill

Revisit to some tumultuous and insightful times.

It has started to feel like a surrealist nightmare, a distant memory, yet it is a mere two years ago, when we were still in the midst of pandemic and busy reorganising our already re-organised work. It is in this shift to the online world that we, in partnership with Circularium, had set up the “Engaging Communities in Times of Corona” online event.

 

 

Looking back at it today -as the frustrations have ebbed away- we are diving back into the positives it brought. In an unseen collective resilience, we and many many other public, private and community organisations, had adapted to new ways of engaging communities. And sometimes find ways to maintain the essential face to face: a “sacré” challenge! 

It is useful to reflect how engagement and exchanges have evolved three years on. We see that there have been some considerable efficiencies that have emerged – such as the use of new platforms for collaboration (such as online whiteboards or dynamic polling platforms). Better communication seems also to have emerged since, particularly between public authorities, businesses and communities – which may have been the consequence of a pandemic of miss-information. We have learnt to select when to work apart or together. In retrospect intense moments of focus can be very helpful but some of the spark and spontaneous energy to collaborate has waned. Even if events and meetings are planned, non-physical communication remains important for humans and we see this to be difficult to replace.

 

Reflection

 

Year: 2023

Location: Brussels

Team: Hanne Van Reusel, Toha De Brant

Sector: Public space & community

Services: Vision

The presentations and reflections provide a rather unique and honest insight in practices of community engagement in full turmoil. And, as one of the advantages of online engagement, those precious insights have been recorded and are available.

 

 

 

Offline strategies for community engagement in times of Corona

 

 

A physical space for youth by youth to express and take action.

Destin Citoyen /// Céline Bortels

 

 

Recup Art: bringing beauty and food into less advantaged homes.

Cultureghem /// Anne Watthee

 

 

Citizens coming together to rebuild local communities

Citizen Spring /// Xavier Damman & Leen Schelfthout

 

 

 

Online strategies for community engagement in times of Corona

 

 

9 lessons learned.

Endeavour /// Tim Devos

 

 

Participatory budget Ixelles: Proximity Belgium.

Municipality of Ixelles, Brussels /// Maud Signy

 

 

Double impact by Zuur campagne.

Growfunding /// Frederik Lamote

See more insights:

Portfolio

Publication

Reflection

Further reading

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]]> https://osmosnetwork.com/engaging-communities-in-times-of-corona/feed/ 0 Saving the Stadstuin https://osmosnetwork.com/saving-the-stadstuin/ https://osmosnetwork.com/saving-the-stadstuin/#respond Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:28:40 +0000 https://osmosnetwork.com/?p=6846 /// Reflection
How to build an economically liable future for an urban food haven?

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/// Reflection

avhill

How to build an economically liable future for an urban food haven?

MijnStadstuin in Amsterdam is a significant urban food haven. The place offers space for ever-popular allotment gardens, as well as a small food forest and hop production for a local brewery. Combining community engagement with entrepreneurial activities, MijnStadstuin has become an ecological innovation lab for urban food production. Yet, in December 2022 the organisation was declared bankrupt. Leaving engaged Amsterdammers and entrepreneurs in fear of losing their precious urban nature anchor.

Urban commons such as MijnStadstuin are confronted with the tricky challenge to run and manage a community-based initiative within the neoliberal system it aims to question. At the tipping point of “break it or make it” some of our experts are supporting the MijnStadstuin community in its transition towards an economically sound organisation.

 

Four hectares of DIY food production in Amsterdam is not something you want to let slip away. Nienke Schachtschabel, engaged volunteer (and future board member) at the food forest hosted by MijnStadstuin, manages to express the shared love for this place: “Why am I so invested in this project? Because I love this place, I love these people!” 

Reflection

Year: 2022

Location: Brussels

Team: Nienke Schachtschabel, Marco Kooistra

Sector: Ecosystems, Public space & community

Services: Process Management, Sharing Knowledge

With passion Nienke stresses the importance of finding a place that offers such a strong and direct connection to nature. And to each other. In addition, this place provides a unique opportunity to foster and maintain such a place in the long term. “These kinds of urban food production activities often can only stay temporarily and get eventually suppressed by more profitable activities. With MijnStadstuin we had a long-term lease from the municipality, one that could be prolonged and which could eventually lead to a buyout. We want to make sure this ecological and community-oriented -and afterall also still a business- place can stay.”

 

How come then, that this beautiful place got at risk? Something somewhere in the passing on from the founding management to the follow up governance got skewed. Despite the fact the last managers were professionally engaged the finances grew negative. “To me, the biggest mismatch was the feeling we, as community members and engaged entrepreneurs, had that the people in charge didn’t share our connection to nature and with each other,” thus Nienke. “We are looking into what went wrong, yet we mainly want to invest energy in the question on how to continue from here. We go for it, we look ahead!”

So -like many urban commons initiatives- also the former MijnStadstuin is looking into the question on how to set up a healthy, efficient and financially liable organisation structure that also respects the community aspect and which breathes the love for nature that binds the community together. Three main directions have been taken to revive MijnStadstuin.

 

First, a return to the roots. One of the driving founding members, Robin Van Asperen, has re-joined the community, helping to reset the vision and stepping in into a joint process to engrain the DNA of the project in the organisation.

 

Second, a new cooperative structure is being set in place. “We are moving in the direction of a more horizontal, yet still very clearly structured, governance model. In the cooperative every partner gets an equal share.” Rather than a pyramid with MijnStadstuin at the top, this organisation will now be placed at level next to -instead of above- those of the other part-taking non-for-profits and entrepreneurs. (Did someone say self-organisation?)

 

Third, a solid business plan is at stake. One that takes into account the diversity of actors involved, the real financial risks and that leaves space to invest in community and nature -after all the essence of MijnStadstuin. We don’t think it is a coincidence that they have asked Marco Kooistra, our financial expert, to advise them in this complex business transition.

See more insights:

Portfolio

Publication

Reflection

Further reading

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