Who we are

SOFT tulip is an unique partnership of Dutch service providers for people in need of special care, who join forces to support providers in countries where there is a desire for improvement. Working in a different cultural context is a vast educational experience for Dutch experts. The exchanges between Dutch care workers and their foreign colleagues lead to a significant improvement in motivation and skills, to the benefit of both sides.

We offer a broad range of tailor-made training and train the trainer programs; policy exchanges and training on lobby & advocacy. We organize inspirational visits to and training programs in the Netherlands. We facilitate internships for students. As well, we facilitate the use of the knowledge and expertise of teachers and lecturers in strengthening the education of the new care professionals.

Our name

When SOFT tulip started in 1991, the efforts were concentrated on the Eastern part of Hungary (‘SOFT’ is the Hungarian acronym for Segitsd, Ovd Fogyatekos Tarsad – ‘Help and Protect your Peer with Disability’). At the time the idea was to have several SOFT organizations in different countries in Central and Eastern Europe. For the Dutch branch “tulip” was added.