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Dutch scheme aims to reintegrate alcoholics by giving them beer Dutch scheme aims to reintegrate alcoholics by giving them beer
(about 1 hour later)
The men streaming in and out of a small clubhouse in east Amsterdam could almost be construction workers at the end of a hard day, taking off their orange reflective vests and cracking jokes as they suck down a few Heinekens, waiting for their pay cheques.The men streaming in and out of a small clubhouse in east Amsterdam could almost be construction workers at the end of a hard day, taking off their orange reflective vests and cracking jokes as they suck down a few Heinekens, waiting for their pay cheques.
But it's only noon, the men are alcoholics and the beers themselves are the pay cheque.But it's only noon, the men are alcoholics and the beers themselves are the pay cheque.
In a pilot project that has drawn attention in the Netherlands and around the world, the city has teamed up with a charity in the hope of improving the neighbourhood and possibly the lives of the alcoholics – not by trying to cure them, but by offering to fund their drinking outright.In a pilot project that has drawn attention in the Netherlands and around the world, the city has teamed up with a charity in the hope of improving the neighbourhood and possibly the lives of the alcoholics – not by trying to cure them, but by offering to fund their drinking outright.
Participants are given beer in exchange for light work collecting litter, eating a decent meal and sticking to their schedule.Participants are given beer in exchange for light work collecting litter, eating a decent meal and sticking to their schedule.
"For a lot of politicians it was really difficult to accept: 'So you are giving alcohol?'" the Amsterdam East district mayor, Fatima Elatik, said. "No, I am giving people a sense of perspective, even a sense of belonging. A sense of feeling that they are OK and that we need them and that we validate them and we don't ostracise our people, because these are people that live in our district.""For a lot of politicians it was really difficult to accept: 'So you are giving alcohol?'" the Amsterdam East district mayor, Fatima Elatik, said. "No, I am giving people a sense of perspective, even a sense of belonging. A sense of feeling that they are OK and that we need them and that we validate them and we don't ostracise our people, because these are people that live in our district."
In practice, the two groups of 10 men must show up at 9am three days a week. They start off with two beers, work a morning shift, eat lunch, get two more beers, and then do an afternoon shift before a last beer. Sometimes there is a bonus beer. The total daily pay package comes to €19 (£16), in beer, tobacco, a meal and €10 cash. Participants say a lot of that cash also goes towards beer.In practice, the two groups of 10 men must show up at 9am three days a week. They start off with two beers, work a morning shift, eat lunch, get two more beers, and then do an afternoon shift before a last beer. Sometimes there is a bonus beer. The total daily pay package comes to €19 (£16), in beer, tobacco, a meal and €10 cash. Participants say a lot of that cash also goes towards beer.
For years, a group of around 50 rowdy, ageing alcoholics had plagued a park in east Amsterdam, annoying other park-goers with noise, litter and occasional harassment.For years, a group of around 50 rowdy, ageing alcoholics had plagued a park in east Amsterdam, annoying other park-goers with noise, litter and occasional harassment.
The city had tried a number of tough solutions, including adding police patrols and temporarily banning alcohol in the park outright, including for family barbecues and picnics. Elatik said the city was spending €1m a year on various prevention, treatment and policing programmes to deal with the problem, and nobody was satisfied.The city had tried a number of tough solutions, including adding police patrols and temporarily banning alcohol in the park outright, including for family barbecues and picnics. Elatik said the city was spending €1m a year on various prevention, treatment and policing programmes to deal with the problem, and nobody was satisfied.
Meanwhile, the small nonprofit Rainbow Group Foundation and its predecessors had been experimenting with ways to get help for alcoholics and drug addicts in the area.Meanwhile, the small nonprofit Rainbow Group Foundation and its predecessors had been experimenting with ways to get help for alcoholics and drug addicts in the area.
Floor van Bakkum of the Jellinek clinic, one of the city's best-known addiction treatment clinics, said her organisation had a very different approach to treating alcoholism. She has a few reservations about the Rainbow program, but approves of it in general. Floor van Bakkum of the Jellinek clinic, one of the city's best-known addiction treatment clinics, said her organisation had a very different approach to treating alcoholism. She has a few reservations about the Rainbow programme, but approves of it in general.
She said a "harm-reduction approach" made sense only when there was no real hope an alcoholic could be cured.She said a "harm-reduction approach" made sense only when there was no real hope an alcoholic could be cured.
"The Rainbow group tries to make it as easy as possible [for alcoholics] to live their lives and that they make as little as possible nuisances to the environment they are living in," she said. "I think it is good that they are doing this.""The Rainbow group tries to make it as easy as possible [for alcoholics] to live their lives and that they make as little as possible nuisances to the environment they are living in," she said. "I think it is good that they are doing this."
The idea was simply that troublemakers might consume less and cause less trouble if they could be lured away from their park benches with the promise of free booze. The Rainbow leader, Gerrie Holterman, said beer was the obvious choice, because it was easier to regulate consumption. Rainbow still harbours the ambition to cure alcoholics and move them back to mainstream society and sees the work-for-beer programme as a first step.The idea was simply that troublemakers might consume less and cause less trouble if they could be lured away from their park benches with the promise of free booze. The Rainbow leader, Gerrie Holterman, said beer was the obvious choice, because it was easier to regulate consumption. Rainbow still harbours the ambition to cure alcoholics and move them back to mainstream society and sees the work-for-beer programme as a first step.
"I think now that we are only successful when we get them to drink less during the day and give them something to think about – what they want to do with their lives," Holterman said. "This is a start to go towards other projects and maybe another kind of job.""I think now that we are only successful when we get them to drink less during the day and give them something to think about – what they want to do with their lives," Holterman said. "This is a start to go towards other projects and maybe another kind of job."
She conceded there had only been one individual so far who had moved from the programme to regular life. Numerous participants have found the rules too demanding and dropped out. But she said nuisance in the park had been reduced, neighbours were happy and there was a waiting list of candidates who wanted to participate.She conceded there had only been one individual so far who had moved from the programme to regular life. Numerous participants have found the rules too demanding and dropped out. But she said nuisance in the park had been reduced, neighbours were happy and there was a waiting list of candidates who wanted to participate.
Elatik said she could not quantify the cost of the programme. Its budget comes partly from donations to Rainbow, partly from city funds, but it is less than €100,000.Elatik said she could not quantify the cost of the programme. Its budget comes partly from donations to Rainbow, partly from city funds, but it is less than €100,000.
The foreman of one group participating in the scheme, Fred Schiphorst, takes his job seriously. He wears a suit and tie under his reflective vest. He said he was treated with more respect in the neighbourhood, but admitted his off-the-job drinking was still up and down.The foreman of one group participating in the scheme, Fred Schiphorst, takes his job seriously. He wears a suit and tie under his reflective vest. He said he was treated with more respect in the neighbourhood, but admitted his off-the-job drinking was still up and down.
Another participant, Karel Slinger, 50, said his life has not been transformed. He is still an alcoholic, but he said on the whole things had changed for the better.Another participant, Karel Slinger, 50, said his life has not been transformed. He is still an alcoholic, but he said on the whole things had changed for the better.
"Yes, of course, in the park it is nice weather and you just drink a lot of beer," he said of his old life. "Now you come here and you are occupied and you have something to do. I can't just sit still. I want something to do.""Yes, of course, in the park it is nice weather and you just drink a lot of beer," he said of his old life. "Now you come here and you are occupied and you have something to do. I can't just sit still. I want something to do."
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