Not For Sale Netherlands
is part of an international organisation
that uses social enterprises to give a group of vulnerable people new perspective.
The Dutch foundation has been active since 2012 and operates independently. Its mission is to give a vulnerable group of people a new perspective on their future. This is done by offering education and training at the social enterprises of Dignita & Fair administration. The first social enterprise Dignita Vondelpark opened in September 2015 and in April 2017 the second project Dignita Hoftuin opened for business. Our third restaurant Dignita Westerpark opened in the Spring of 2020. In 2021, the B.V. Fair Finances was founded and Dignita Prins Hendrik (The Hague) opened in February 2023.
At the Dignita academy, our trainees can follow training courses and gain work experience. With the acquired skills and regained self-confidence, they build a new and autonomous existence. This prevents them from ending up in a vulnerable situation (again).
Our strategy
In 2012 Not For Sale begins training victims of human trafficking who are living in an Amsterdam shelter. In a professional kitchen, the victims learn to prepare healthy soups and salads. After the course, they receive a Not For Sale-certificate. With the work experience and the acknowledgement of their capabilities by way of the certificate, the participants develop self-esteem. They feel like they are part of society again and dare to make plans for the future. This supports the recovery process of the victims.
In collaboration with the Regional Education Centre (ROC) of Amsterdam, Not For Sale further developed the basic training in 2015. The foundation now offers licensed work experience courses at the social enterprise of Dignita, which is also accredited for apprenticeships. Here, people coming from a vulnerable situation, can follow various courses, from basic kitchen techniques to intermediate vocational education, with intensive guidance. Products that are made during training are on the menu of the Dignita restaurants.
Because of the training and the gained work experience, victims have the prospect of a paid position or further education of their own choice; of a new future in the Netherlands or in the country of origin. The distance to the labour market is reduced and it stimulates re-integration in society.
Not For Sale would like to open up more branches of Dignita in the Netherlands. This will create more training places for our target group. The long-term vision of the foundation is to export the concept to the countries were most of the victims are from, to get to the root of the problem.