It was 3 pm and one of the hottest days in the Netherlands this year. While for most people this would have been the perfect time to take a dip in the canal and cool off, the team at UBS had taken a short break to hydrate before getting back to work, helping in the refurbishing of the Volewijck Playground in Amsterdam North.

In the uncertain times, we have been thrust in, most of our time has been spent indoors and while it has provided us with an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and our loved ones, it has also unfortunately deprived children the opportunity to be outdoors and having fun on the playgrounds. However, as we cautiously resume a sense of normalcy, it has allowed corporations to get back into their volunteer initiatives in the community.

It is for this reason that UBS chose the Volewijck Playground Project in Amsterdam North. The playground serves to provide children in the North pleasant and liveable neighborhoods to grow up in. The UBS team was not only excited but committed to participating in it, as it provided an opportunity to support the community and also for the team to get to know each other well.

From painting picnic benches and some indoor spaces, replanting seedbeds, clearing of the shrubs, the UBS team worked wholeheartedly with a smile on everyone’s face, offering each other a helping hand as needed to ensure each activity was done well, not even the scorching sun could dampen any of their spirits. UBS Country Manager, Ward van de Braak, said, “Through this project, we hope to provide our employees an opportunity to step away from their desks and get to see what more life has to offer and to create positive change in their local communities.”

This playground, which is managed by Stiching SPIN is one of many spread all over Amsterdam Noord, that offers children safe, adventurous, and some of the greenest playgrounds. The organization SPIN pays special attention to children (and their parents) who have less obvious opportunities, such as children with a disability or children who have to grow up in poverty to ensure they are not left out or forgotten.

There is nothing as beautiful as providing an opportunity for children to retain a sense of wonder and through the playgrounds, children get to explore their creativity and tap into talents still undiscovered, develop their self-confidence, learn social skills that enable them to traverse through life in the best way possible and as the most authentic versions of themselves.

It is said that play is our brain’s favourite way of learning and thanks to the great work by UBS, children can enjoy sunny days at the Volewijck Playground.

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Would you like to volunteer, participate as a company in a fun and valuable project, let us know via [email protected] or call 020 2440272. Together we make the differ