Many of our alumni bring about positive change either in their work – by mentoring current students – or in projects that run alongside their work. Read our alumni stories.
Currently, we are recruiting alumni SDG Ambassadors, to work together with students on (one of) the Sustainable Development Goals.
Interested in finding out what it takes to become a mentor? Take a look at MentorMe.
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us via positivechange@rsm.nl.
The Positive Change Initiative has recruited a group of students who are passionate about making change. Each of the students will be an advocate of one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the academic year 2019-2020.
It is up to students to take the lead in their initiative, be it organizing an awareness event on campus or collaborating on a project with organizations off campus. However, any support is always welcome.
We are currently looking for engaged alumni who would like to take part in the ambassador programme. This might be by working on a project with colleagues and RSM, or it could be coaching current students and offering them extra support in their initiatives.
We believe garnering support from both students and alumni can increase the impact that we make and will help us achieve more positive change.
Sign up by filling in the form to the right or email positivechange@rsm.nl for more information.
Register to become an SDG Alumni Ambassador
To facilitate the RSM community in even more ways to make change, the community service programme was set up. With it, the school is starting partnerships with ‘local heroes’ in and around Rotterdam. We hope to support our community partners by increasing their local impact. It is a way for us to put our organisational values into action. Our first community service partner is football foundation Excelsior4All. In April 2019, senior leaders at RSM attended the first voluntary activity with Excelsior4All, which launched the community service programme.
Partners
RSM has partnered with organisations that make societal impact. Take a look at the partnership criteria below to see how we have selected our partners. Are you working at a civil society organisation and looking to collaborate? Contact the Community Service team’ communityservice@rsm.nl and we will get in touch with you.
The first community service partner is football foundation Excelsior4All, based at the Excelsior Rotterdam football stadium next door to RSM. The foundation has a mission with five pillars: education, reintegration, participation in sports, safety, and leading a healthy lifestyle. Its activities are based on societal needs – particularly in low socio-economic neighbourhoods. In this way, Excelsior4All aims to contribute to the wellbeing of children and stimulate their learning capabilities.
Excelsior4All has set up initiatives such as the Excelsior Clinics, focused on health, Excelsior Schools, providing reading buddies and workshops on topics such as discrimination, and Excelsior Street League, organising neighbourhood football tournaments. The children that attend the activities are recommended by local schools. They are able to attend the activities as well as football matches free of charge. Activities available to RSM volunteers at Excelsior4All range from teaching and research to sports and outdoor activities.
Stichting Humanitas provides care, welfare and assistance for vulnerable people and the elderly in Rotterdam, Spijkenisse and Capelle aan den IJssel.
Its Community Service Programme supports two services: its HIV service department (called Bureau HIV-hulpverlening), and its project for elderly people (Ouderen project).
- The HIV service provides information and guidance to people with HIV infection or AIDS, as well as for their partners, friends, family and relatives – or anyone who feels involved or has questions about this issue.
- The Ouderen project has contact with about 300 elderly people in Rotterdam, and organises afternoon activities for them on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Around 400 volunteers run Voedselbank Rotterdam, providing food packages to 7.000 households in the Rotterdam region every week. The organisation aims to eradicate all kinds of poverty and eradicate food waste at the same time.
Stichting Jarige Job is a non-profit organisation (established by an RSM alumnus) that provides everything to celebrate a child’s birthday in a box for families that cannot afford to celebrate otherwise.
The tradition of celebrating family birthdays at home with decorations and cake, or for a child to take treats to school for classmates on their birthday is stronger in the Netherlands than in some other countries. In the Netherlands, the shame of not being able to provide a treat for classmates on a child’s birthday sometimes means the child calls in sick and doesn’t go to school at all. It’s estimated that 60,000 children in the Netherlands can’t celebrate their birthdays in the traditional way.
Every Wednesday afternoon between October and March for more than 17 years, a team of volunteers has worked to conserve the Kralingse Bos woodlands and ecosystems around the Kralingse Plas in Rotterdam. There are usually around 16 volunteers doing activities like cleaning up, cutting trees, emptying ponds, and building natural boundaries. Volunteering in the Kralingse Bos is a great way to learn about woodlands and their ecosystems.
RSM’s Community Service Programme organises its own clean-up sessions with assistance from the municipality of Rotterdam. These events aim to clean trash, litter and other messes from hotspots and target locations around the city.
Volunteers use equipment provided by the City of Rotterdam; gloves, trash bags and litter pickers. The loan of equipment is pre-arranged with the director of the district (the wijkreggiseur) and it can be collected from the Gebiedskantoor Kralingen or from Prinses Beatrixlaan 3 in Crooswijk.
- The organisation is non-commercial or a non-profit institution, foundation, or association (Public Benefit Organization (ANBI) status is an advantage).
- The organisation is visibly active in tackling one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The organisation is active in the Rotterdam region.
- Has broad support, a public character, and is accessible and visible to everyone – for example by being supported by other foundations, organisations or institutions.
- The organisation is not bound to a religious or political party.
- Preferably, projects, activities and objectives are not language sensitive so that members of the RSM community are not restricted by language requirements.
- Preferably able to accommodate both small and large groups of volunteers (ranging from 10 to 50 volunteers).
For questions, suggestions or to receive updates, please contact the Community Service Team.
Support student learning
Find more information about this fund on the Hummingbird Fund page.
Did you know that many of our alumni and students lead companies that make products focusing on social responsibility, ethical practices, and sustainability? By shopping in their stores you can be a force for positive change in the RSM community and the world.
Support the RSM community and its businesses
In Rotterdam alone, more than 9 million kilogrammes of textiles are burned each year. Reshirt Rotterdam gives new life to unwanted clothing. It was founded by RSM students to reduce fabric waste. Check out ReShirt’s collection of tops, scrunchies, earrings and head scarves.
Make the world a better place and put a smile on people’s faces with these sustainable gift boxes from BDeals, founded by two EUR students. All products are from certified B Corporations, which means they meet strict standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Examples include Tony Chocolonely chocolate, Seepje hand soap, Farm Brothers cookies, BioToday vegan bars, a Stone Paper notebook, and more.
Combining nature and hard work, RSM alumna Yana Pavlova founded RoseTulips to boost well-being. Using 100 per cent natural ingredients, the teas and honeys are presented in recycled glass jars. And don’t miss the reusable bamboo tea flask with tea infuser to keep your brew hot or cold for four hours. Save the planet and take a moment for yourself – or make someone else happy if you buy it as a gift.
