Wouter Christiaens

"My name is Wouter Christiaens, I am 37 years and live in Nijmegen. In november I started working as junior-secretary for Villa Lila. Villa Lila is no unknown territory for me, in contradiction. I've been coming there since 1992, when I became volunteer for "Stichting Pinkeltje", now called "Stichting Dito!" At this foundation I have done many things from organising monthly activities to accompanying introduction groups. Also I have been in the board and was responsible for the organistaion of an international exchange programm between holebi youth from Nijmegen, Londen and Bratislava.

In 1999 I left "Stichting Pinkeltje" and graduated university (Cultural history). I started working and Villa Lila disappeared from my view for a number of years. Until the end of 2004 when I quit my steady job to become projectleader of "Roze Zaterdag 2005 in Nijmegen" alongside of Maurice Nooijen, current chairman of Villa Lila. Villa Lila became the operating base. I immediately felt right back at home. Together with Maurice and many many volunteers we worked very hard for months on this national event which became a huge success.
Since that time I have my own company. I write and draw up texts for various constituents (varying from commercial flyers to travel guides. In may 2007 a Capitool Travel guide about Gelderland from me is released. Time to run to the stores!). Moreover I give communication trainings such as writing trainings, presentation techniques, interview techniques and conversational techniques.

Villa Lila is a unique building in The Netherlands: nowhere in the country you will find an independent organisation where gay-organisations kan house themselves. COC, Dito! and the Lesbian Archive are it's steady tennants. Also there are other users such as drama groups. But Villa Lila has long been no longer for Gay organisations alone. Villa Lila is in the middle of the community. The jamsessions for young musicians are not just meant for the holebi-group. Nor are the dance lessons. Since a number of years, the Villa is an acknowledged training location for students and scholars who follow a social study. Because of all this the Villa as never before can justly be called the sparkling social-cultural centre. "This is the kind of organization to which I would love to extend a helping hand."

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