Opis organizácie

Voedselwinning Jeugdhulp (VWJH) is a non-profit association that unites social organisations in youth care around the theme of food waste.

The main activities of VWJH are:
- Developing a vision and mission for local actions against food waste.
- Balancing supply and demand of food surpluses on the local level.
- Consulting our partners on food waste and how to avoid it.
- Logistical, organisational and financial support of the local actors
- Contacting local and regional authorities on the subject (city of Leuven, Province of Vlaams-Brabant, Flanders region) and negotiating with them on the subject.
- Communication with the donors of food surpluses.
- Picking up, storage and distribution of food surpluses.
- Administration, internal meetings, fund raising, writing project files to obtain grants.
- Attending conferences and meetings on food waste

The partners are main youth care organisations in Leuven that already have or will obtain an ESC QL. They have residences in the city and the surroundings. Currently we have 4 partners, but in the near future we will expand to 8 or more. Here a presentation of the current partners:

De Wissel is a CANO organisation, which means "Centre for Active Network support and Development". Central to the CANO concept is the belief in the power of the young person and his or her environment. A flexible organisation and a multipurpose aid gives the most chances for the youngster and its environment. De Wissel considers it as her task to create surroundings that create possibilities for young people to grow in proportion to themselves and their surroundings, as such that they can grow up in this world and make constructive choices for themselves.
De Wissel includes 6 different initiatives.
Two initiatives of De Wissel help girls and their families between 14 and 21 years. In Leuven is the Rotonda for 27 girls and in Sint Pieters Rode the Switch for 15 girls. The third initiative is Centrum Molenmoes located in Wezemaal. This centre hosts different projects with the focus on young people, the neighbours and society. The fourth initiative works with teenage mothers, the Shelter in Leuven. They support the young mothers and fathers in their living situation or even provide sometimes a place to stay and get support. The fifth initiative, Columbus, works with families in need and gives short-term mobile support. The sixth initiative, Overkop in Tienen, works with youngsters between 12 and 25 and consists of a youth house where you can find pleasure but also support.

ter Wende-Espero is a small therapeutic centre for children with mental-health issues. We offer a residential stay, when living at home in the family, is no longer safe. 50 children (age between 6 and 18) live in 5 small groups, in two locations (Brussels and Leuven). A team of educators, psychologist,
family therapist works together to reinforce emotional and social skills as self-control, communication, conflict-resolution, ... . We work closely with parents, in family therapy-sessions, group-work with parents, .. . We focus a lot on therapeutic activities such as music, dance, sport, contact with animals, ... . Central to our work is a strengh-based approach, trying to rediscover and reinforce existing talents and competencies.

Sporen is a youth centre for children from 0 to 25 years. We offer a residential stay, when living at home in the family, is no longer safe. 70 children (age between 0 and 25) live in small groups, in different locations. We work closely with the young persons and there parents and broader network. We believe in the power of the young person and his or her environment. We help to create surroundings that create possibilities for young people to grow in proportion to themselves and their surroundings, as such that they can grow up in this world and make constructive choices for themselves.

LeuvenFietst is a non-profit organisation engaged in many different aspects of biking. We run a MTB club with +/- 200 members. We give recreational bike training to youngsters twice a week. We organise bike ateliers at partner organisations, give bike initiations for schools, youth clubs, refugees and other focus groups. We organise bike camps, weekends and events at different locations. Five times a year we organise a “Bike Repair Café” where volunteers come together to repair (old) bikes, eat and drink something and have a nice evening talking about bikes an bike projects. We work together with and get support from the Flemish Bike Federation, the city of Leuven and a number of non- or for profit organisations to realise what we described above. But most of the chemistry is done by volunteers, they are the beating heart and the common ground of LeuvenFietst. March 2019 we received a grant from NCIF to include youngsters with difficult access to sport activities in the regular activities of our club. LeuvenFietst aims together with concurring members to go for a greener and carbon free future.