The Worldhouse is an advice, information and community centre for people without a residence permit.
Our mission
At the Worldhouse we contribute to the lives of undocumented people in Amsterdam in a variety of ways. The Worldhouse is a place where people come to relax and prepare themselves for their next move. What that move is depends on the individual: for some, a warm meal is the most important thing; for others it’s legal advice, learning the Dutch language, talking to a social counselor, or being part of a community. We help where needed, while keeping each visitor’s talents and potential in mind. At the Worldhouse, we strive to give people a sense of agency back; we help our visitors to be in charge of their own story.
Our team
The Worldhouse is a project of the Protestantse Diaconie Amsterdam. The Worldhouse team is diverse; employees of the Diaconie work together with volunteers (both with and without documents) and visitors of the Worldhouse. Together they make up a strong team under the leadership of coordinator Pablo Eppelin Ugarte.
De Diaconie van Amsterdam (The Protestant Diocese of Amsterdam)
The Worldhouse is a project of the Protestantse Diaconie Amsterdam. Since its foundation in the 18th century the Diocese supports the less privileged in Dutch society. Today that translates to people living in poverty, the homeless, people living in social isolation and people without residence permits. The Diaconie doesn’t do all this work alone, but rather in close cooperation with various organisations, networks and individuals. For more information about the Diaconie and its projects, please check: www.diaconie.org.
Network
The Worldhouse is part of a very strong and resourceful network. This network consists of nearly sixty organisations in Amsterdam alone, each with its own area of expertise within the field of undocumented people. The Worldhouse works closely together with these organisations, for example through monthly meetings. During these meetings, we discuss trends and emergencies regarding the situation of undocumented people and, if necessary, the organisations involved in these meetings engage in a lobby with the municipality of Amsterdam. The Worldhouse is also part of the city’s Discussion Group on Undocumented People.