Gerold Heijmans from Oss has a Zorgmentor. A kind of buddy to do fun things and discuss difficult things. He found a ZorgMentor via Stichting MentorSchap Midden and Noordoost Brabant. Someone who is officially appointed by the court. But such matches are becoming increasingly scarce, because there is a large shortage of care mentors while demand only increases.
More than a year ago, the 57-year-old Gerold ended up at Stichting Mentorship Midden and Noordoost Brabant. He was looking for a buddy. Someone who is there for him to do fun things with, but also to support more complicated things. Through the foundation he ended up at Zorgmentor Willy van Griensven.
“Within an hour at the first meeting, we were already sure that we wanted to be linked to each other,” says Willy. “Then we tried for three months and we went to court together to record everything.”
This is done because the ZorgMentor is allowed to officially make decisions about the personal matters of the client. Without that recognition, institutions or organizations would not recognize Willy as a mentor as a competent point of contact.
“I stand up for him, but I am also there to do things together.”
Since then, the two see each other regularly to chat, cycle or walk. Last year they also went to watch top Oss at several football matches. “The most important thing I do is listen to what rolled to say and to inquire about what is going on with him. I try to support him in his thoughts and practical matters. I stand up for him, but I am also there to do things together.”
According to Willy, Gerold knows very well what he wants. “Only he can hardly express it towards his employer, his girlfriend and the foundation in which he lives. I also support him and I contact them if needed.”
“I find it difficult to stand up for myself.”
A few weeks ago the girlfriend of Gerold’s birthday, but something had gone wrong with his administrator, so he didn’t have enough money to buy a gift. Then Willy comes to the rescue. “I then contacted his administrator and the problem was solved within an hour,” says the Zorgmentor.
Gerold would not want to miss his care mentor anymore. “Some things are difficult for me and I find it difficult to stand up for myself. Willy helps me to arrange things with my work.”
“There are quite a lot of people who need help and it seems like this is getting more and more.”
Hester van den Berg is a coordinator at Stichting Mentoringschap Midden and Noordoost Brabant. They help find and use a mentor with clients. According to her, there is a large shortage of care mentors in Brabant. “There are quite a lot of people who need help and it seems like this is getting more and more. We really get a lot of registrations. There is a waiting list at our foundation. We are short of care mentors,” she says.
The foundation indicates that it needs at least twenty care mentors to meet the demand. “Then we can see even better which mentor fits best with which client.” With more choice this is easier according to the coordinator.
Another option is to link a care mentor to multiple clients, something that sometimes happens. Of course only if everyone agrees. This is not an option for Willy. “I fully rolled for it. I deliberately do not take a client with it. I have one and I want to do it as well as possible. In my role in this way it is the most pleasant for me to have one client.”
Care mentor
Everyone can register at Stichting Mentorship Central and Northeast Brabant as a Zorgmentor. The position is held by volunteers who do not need a special diploma.
However, the new care mentors must follow a course, e-learning and basic course at the foundation before they can be linked. In addition, there is a mentoring café three times a year where mentors can follow all kinds of workshops.
The foundation supervises the care mentors. “They can make contact with us if there are questions. We are the one they can fall back on.”
If there is a match between a client and Zorgmentor, they go to court after a trial period to regulate everything legally. The mentor also has a special agreement for his mentoring.