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Our approach

Employees on sick leave due to psycho(somatical) issues work on a 3-month project with a certified project leader who integrates therapy into the project 

Location

Oudemanhuispoort, Amsterdam

Eligibility criteria

Only employees can join who: 

  • Work fewer hours or non at all due to psycho(somatical) causes, such as burnout or long covid

  • Are physically capable of working 8h p/w, of which one 1,5h projectgroup-meeting (incl break)

  • Are committed to completing the entire project

The Three Phases of Projects

  1. Intake (1 weeks).
    Participants are assessed on eligibility, learning goals and general physical and emotional functioning. They're matched with a project based on the amount of total work and amount of cognitive work that they can do. 

  2. Project (8 weeks).
    Participants work on a project in a group of 5. They're continuously assessed on physical and psychological metrics, such as HRV. They receive individual coaching from the project leader.

  3. Evaluation and next steps (1 week).
    Well-being and mental and physical functioning are assessed. If desired, participants are referred to work at one of the top-50 Great Places to Work.

Integrated therapy​

Project leaders are certified psychologists or coaches and integrate the counseling in the project. E.g.:

  • Assertiveness-issues
    Participants work on assertiveness by being tasked with speaking up during the project meeting at least 3 times. After the meeting, the project leader checks in: "I think you did great! How did you feel? Is there anything you’d like to do differently next time?"

  • Perfectionism
    Partcipants get to hand in something non-perfect and realize this is not the end of the world

  • Fear of failure
    Participants are asked to make small mistakes on purpose

Typical project week (6h to 8h p/w)

Tuesday

  • 1,5h meeting with project group. Group discusses their approach to tackling the societal project by identifying root causes, brainstorming solutions and identifying potential risks. 

  • 0.5h individual meeting with coach to discuss progress and tactics to overcome personal obstacles.  

Friday

  • 3h Field work. The project group affectuates the solutions they brainstormed, e.g. by making Amsterdam canals plastic free or talking to stakeholders.

  • 1h. Weekly end-meeting. All project groups attend a lecture by a guest speaker and end the week with drinks.

Why this works

Participants...

  • Feel useful because they are doing meaningful work for others.

  • Meet fellow sufferers and can exchange experiences.

  • Work on the causes of their burnout (such as assertiveness issues) in a safe and controlled social environment.

  • Shift their focus outward, reducing obsessive rumination.

  • Feel valued, as the project leader encourages and compliments them.

  • Feel supported, as the project leader uses techniques to create an optimal social setting.

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