{ "id": 3533, "date": "2025-12-04T19:34:19", "date_gmt": "2025-12-04T19:34:19", "guid": { "rendered": "https:\/\/new.softtulip.nl\/?page_id=3533" }, "modified": "2026-01-10T08:20:03", "modified_gmt": "2026-01-10T08:20:03", "slug": "vision", "status": "publish", "type": "page", "link": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/vision\/", "title": { "rendered": "Strategic Plan \/ Vision 2030" }, "content": { "rendered": "
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Connecting people<\/b><\/h3>

Transforming care<\/b><\/h3>

Strengthening communities<\/b><\/h3>

For nearly 35 years, SOFT tulip has been committed to strengthening inclusive care and support for vulnerable people, such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and people with mental health needs in Eastern Europe. Our strategic direction \u2018<\/span>Koers 2030\u2019 <\/span><\/i>(2026\u20132030) builds on this legacy while responding decisively to today\u2019s social and geopolitical realities. The full-scale invasion in Ukraine has led to a significant increase in the demand for mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS) services. At the same time existing care institutions lack the capacity to respond to this demand sustainably.\u00a0 At the same time, deinstitutionalisation has become a clear government priority; the Ukrainian government has prioritised deinstitutionalisation as a key reform agenda, creating an important momentum to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable, community-based mental health care system that strengthens both social inclusion and the resilience of care systems.<\/span><\/p>

Growing inequality and systemic strain make one thing clear: without community-based transformation, care systems will no longer be sustainable. Our strategic direction <\/span>\u2018Koers 2030\u2019<\/span><\/i> positions SOFT tulip, together with its participants and partners, exactly at this intersection of urgent need, policy alignment, and sustainable and inclusive reform.<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0<\/h2>

SOFT tulip’s approach<\/b><\/h2>

SOFT tulip is not a single NGO. We are a network of participating Dutch care organisations working in long-term partnership with local actors in Eastern Europe.<\/span><\/p>

Together, we contribute to sustainable change by:<\/span><\/p>

  • translating <\/span>international care expertise into local practice;<\/b><\/li>
  • connecting day-to-day <\/span>practice to policy development and lived experience;<\/b><\/li>
  • strengthening <\/span>local ownership and public care systems;<\/b><\/li>
  • anchoring care transformation in internationally recognised standards, including the <\/span>UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).<\/b><\/li><\/ul>

    SOFT tulip works towards a society in which persons with disabilities, psychosocial vulnerabilities, or developmental delays can participate fully and equally. A society where children grow up in families rather than institutions, and where care and support are community-based, inclusive, and sustainable.<\/span><\/p>

    Central to our approach is capacity development and shared learning. We invest in professional training, family empowerment, and collaboration between care organisations beyond borders, enabling them to become drivers of change within their own contexts. Through long-term partnerships and knowledge exchange, and policy dialogue, we contribute to structural care transformation at local, national, and international levels.<\/span><\/p>

    Our work is guided by four core values:<\/span>
    <\/span><\/p>

    • Inclusion<\/b> – everyone belongs and has the right to participate in society<\/span><\/li>
    • Human-centred approach<\/b> – people and their dignity are at the heart of our work<\/span><\/li>
    • Connection<\/b> \u2013 building sustainable and reciprocal collaboration<\/span><\/li>
    • Shared learning –<\/b> learning together as a driver of change<\/li><\/ul>

      \u00a0<\/h2>

      Our strategic focus (2026\u20132030)<\/b><\/h2>

      Thematic priorities<\/span><\/span><\/p>

      1. Deinstitutionalisation & community-based care<\/b><\/li><\/ol>

        We support the transition from large-scale institutional care towards a community-based care system that enables vulnerable people to live meaningful lives and participate in society. Together with our network of Dutch participating care organisations and our in-country partners, we work towards a care system where support is organised close to home, embedded in communities, families, and local services.<\/span><\/p>

        This includes improving conditions and quality of life for people currently living in institutions, while at the same time supporting a sustainable transition towards supported living, family-based care, and community services. Our focus is on strengthening participation, social inclusion, autonomy, and dignity.<\/span><\/p>

        Deinstitutionalisation is not about closing institutions; it is about opening up lives. It means creating space for people to participate, belong, and grow within their communities and make choices about their own future. This can only work when people themselves, their families, and care professionals shape care together.<\/span><\/p>

        \u00a0<\/span><\/p>

        1. Mental health & psychosocial support<\/b><\/li><\/ol>

          We consider mental health a public responsibility and a cornerstone of individual and community resilience. Without accessible and well-organised support, vulnerable people risk long-term exclusion from education, work, and community life.<\/span><\/p>

          SOFT tulip contributes to a stronger, community-based mental health system by:<\/span><\/p>

          \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>strengthening the capacity and leadership of professionals in mental health and social care;<\/span><\/p>

          \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>supporting the integration of mental health and psychosocial support into community and primary care settings;<\/span><\/p>

          \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>promoting trauma-informed, recovery-oriented approaches that recognise people\u2019s strengths and agency;<\/span><\/p>

          \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>embedding mental health support within broader community structures, rather than isolating it in specialised institutions.<\/span><\/p>

          By connecting mental health to community life, care becomes more accessible, responsive, and human. It contributes to stronger communities, better-equipped professionals, and reinforces the resilience of care systems as a whole, enabling them to withstand ongoing pressure.<\/span><\/p>

          \u00a0<\/span><\/p>

          1. Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) & family empowerment<\/b><\/li><\/ol>

            Early support in the first years of life makes a lasting difference. When children and families receive timely, coordinated, and family-centered support, developmental risks are reduced, and long-term exclusion can be prevented as children are far more likely to grow up in their own families and communities rather than entering institutions.<\/span><\/p>

            SOFT tulip strengthens Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) as a structural part of the national care system. Our focus is building support around families, so they have the confidence, knowledge, and support to care for their child and family. When parents are supported early, families become more resilient, and children are better able to develop, and participate in community life.<\/span><\/p>

            We do this by:<\/span><\/p>

            \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>promoting family-centred and multidisciplinary ways of working, tailored to the needs of each child and family;<\/span><\/p>

            \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>strengthening collaboration between health care, social care, and education, so support is coherent and continuous;<\/span><\/p>

            \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>investing in professional capacity and long-term cooperation, enabling services to work together across sectors.<\/span><\/p>

            Early Childhood Intervention is not a stand-alone programme or short-term intervention. It lays the groundwork for inclusive communities by supporting children to grow up in families and neighbourhoods, rather than in institutions. By strengthening Early Childhood Intervention, care systems become more preventive, more responsive, and better equipped to support children and families over time.<\/span><\/p>

            \u00a0<\/span><\/p>

            Our strategic pillars<\/b><\/h2>
            • Connecting<\/b>
              <\/b> We connect care organizations, professionals, families, experts by experience, and public authorities across borders. Our network is a learning community that creates mutual value and long-term impact through shared ownership. We believe that international collaboration not only strengthens local care systems but also enriches professional knowledge and fosters meaningful exchange within and between Dutch care organizations.<\/span><\/li>
            • Innovating<\/b>
              <\/b> We support the transformation of care systems through peer-to-peer learning, train-the-trainer programmes, and linking practice to policy. Our thematic priorities, deinstitutionalization, mental health, and early childhood intervention, are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Addressing them in coherence allows us to move beyond isolated interventions towards sustainable system change, grounded in human rights and translated into everyday practice.<\/span><\/li>
            • Strengthening<\/b><\/b>
              <\/b>Sustainable change requires resilient communities, people, organisations, and systems. We invest in training, mentoring, and policy dialogue and positioning professionals, families, and experts by experience as co-creators of transformation. Local leadership and ownership are central to our approach.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>", "protected": false }, "excerpt": { "rendered": "

              Connecting people Transforming care Strengthening communities For nearly 35 years, SOFT tulip has been committed to strengthening inclusive care and support for vulnerable people, such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and people with mental health needs in Eastern Europe. Our strategic direction \u2018Koers 2030\u2019 (2026\u20132030) builds on this legacy while responding decisively to today\u2019s […]<\/p>", "protected": false }, "author": 1, "featured_media": 0, "parent": 0, "menu_order": 0, "comment_status": "closed", "ping_status": "closed", "template": "", "meta": { "_acf_changed": false, "footnotes": "" }, "class_list": [ "post-3533", "page", "type-page", "status-publish", "hentry" ], "acf": [], "_links": { "self": [ { "href": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3533", "targetHints": { "allow": [ "GET" ] } } ], "collection": [ { "href": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages" } ], "about": [ { "href": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page" } ], "author": [ { "embeddable": true, "href": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1" } ], "replies": [ { "embeddable": true, "href": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3533" } ], "version-history": [ { "count": 115, "href": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3533\/revisions" } ], "predecessor-version": [ { "id": 4672, "href": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3533\/revisions\/4672" } ], "wp:attachment": [ { "href": "https:\/\/www.softtulip.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3533" } ], "curies": [ { "name": "wp", "href": "https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}", "templated": true } ] } }