36-year-old Jeroen Berkelaar will not be sidelined by his disability and this morning he was proud to volunteer at one of the polling stations in Haarlem. A small room in the Frans Hals Museum was thus labeled as an inclusive voting location. “We can do more than you think”, Jeroen says proudly.
Jeroen is committed to democracy with his disability – NH Nieuws
From ten to twelve o’clock Jeroen, accompanied by the chairman of the polling station, Jouke van Buuren, handed out voting forms and pencils. “It is so important that people know that people with disabilities can simply participate in society.”
Jeroen himself is slightly mentally disabled. “I can therefore learn less well, but I can do a lot of things.” This is also apparent this morning when we ask Jouke how Jeroen is doing. “He knew exactly what to do after a minute of explanation. He’s a natural.”
“Don’t think that someone with a disability is pathetic”
The initiative to link volunteers with an intellectual disability to a polling station comes from Stichting Prokkel. Throughout the Netherlands, so-called ‘prokkelduo’s’ are put to work during the elections. “People with intellectual disabilities see how voting works. And people without disabilities see that people with disabilities can also participate in society,” says Stichting Prokkel.
To vote
In Haarlem that is happening successfully, because Jeroen likes to help a little bit with democracy. “I just thought it would be fun to experience it once.” And despite the somewhat quiet turnout at this voting location, he is happy that he can carry out his message. “Don’t think that someone with a disability can’t do anything or is pathetic, that’s not the case! Keep that in mind.”
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