#OCMW

[dirklagast]

Koekelberg, VOORUIT!

[thissying]

"A wunderkind," said Niki Lauda when Limburger Max Verstappen (18) won his first Grand Prix in Spain on Sunday. Her wunderkind, thought Sophie Kumpen (41), at home in Maaseik in front of the television. Two hours later the phone rang: "Wow. Mom. Actually unbelievable, huh."

21 May, 2016

Sophie was at home on Sunday when it happened. All alone, on a chair, in front of the television. "I've been in the pit box at enough races to know: I actually prefer to watch in the living room. You can't see it better anywhere else than on television. I have a fixed ritual for it. A candle on the table. Smartphone in hand. And that chair." (points to one of the dining room chairs)

"Of course, if I had known in advance that Max would win his first Grand Prix, I would have gone along. During those last two corners I was sitting in my chair cheering. When Max crossed the finish line, I cried. I didn't even cry at his birth. They were tears of relief, I think. He was finally able to show what I always knew he could do."

What role does genetics play? So far unclear. But this much is certain: if Max drove the competition away on Sunday - and was also a bit lucky with two top drivers dropping out - it was mainly a matter of years of training. "Max has been working towards this for fourteen years. He was four when he started karting. Jos and I practically lived on the circuit at that time. People sometimes think that we pushed Max. That's not true. It came from him. Once that happened, there was no stopping him. And honestly? I understand that. It was the same for me. That kick. That adrenaline. That quickly becomes addictive."

Sophie once lived in the same world as Max does today. She was successful in karting, and Jos had made it in F1. The couple lived in Monaco and bathed in wealth. But the divorce, in 2006, turned that life upside down. Max was eight, his sister Victoria six. It was decided: Max would stay with Jos, Victoria with Sophie. And while Jos focused on his son's career, Sophie looked for a job in Maaseik.

"A very difficult time," says Sophie. "I didn't see Max a lot then. He quickly started to achieve international success and he was abroad a lot with his father. I found that incredibly difficult. But I also knew: if we really wanted to pursue Max's big dream, he would be better off with Jos. I had to flip a switch for that. There were many nights when I lay in bed crying. Out of sadness, for the child I missed so much. I really had to let go of Max. I was often very afraid that I would lose him. Now that he is eighteen, I have the feeling that all that is changing. He visits me more often, shows up unexpectedly at the door more often. 'Mum, let's go shopping in Hasselt.' Max recently had to get his driver's license. He had to drive for a few days with a supervisor. He said: 'I want to do that with you, mum.' I am increasingly getting my place as a mum back. That feels really good."

"The contact with Jos is finally better again, too. Everything has fallen into place: Jos has remarried and I am also doing well. When Max won on Sunday, Jos called me from Barcelona. However, we hardly ever call each other. But at a moment like that you know: this is our child. And then it is nice to be able to share that emotion with each other and to be able to cry together. I am glad we had that phone call. It felt good to be able to do that. For Max as well."

"After the divorce, I started working for the OCMW [social welfare centre]. I believe that things in life happen for a reason. I see a lot of poverty. I see the underclass of society. I think it's good that I can show Max that. We talk about it. I want him to know that there is another world than his. That's good to keep his feet on the ground. As a mother, I'm sometimes afraid that he'll start to float. I think it's my job to prevent that. I often say: 'Max, don't get too big for your boots, boy. Be nice to people, be nice to the fans. If there are twenty fans, don't sign five, but twenty autographs.' Max knows that, how important that is. And he does that with a smile. Deep down he is very down to earth. Max is a very down-to-earth guy, actually. He now has a Swedish girlfriend - someone who also races. When those two visit: it is really very relaxed. Something to eat, a game of cards, a chat. Max really likes 'normal'. He recently got a sponsorship contract with Puma. He said: 'Mum, then I'll get a new pair of shoes!' I thought that was nice of him. That he could be as happy as a child with a new pair of shoes."

It's been a madhouse since Sunday. Both in Monaco and in Maaseik. "Even I've been overwhelmed all week. I've received 1,500 Facebook requests. The phone didn't stop ringing. Journalists called from America. It really can stop now. Just because Max has won once, doesn't mean he'll keep winning. We all have to stay level-headed about that. Things have been going really well for Max for a year and a half now. There will be a dip at some point. We better prepare for that. I always impress that on Max. 'Think carefully and enjoy it, because it could all be over tomorrow.' He then says: 'Yes, mum, I know.'"

It can never end more suddenly than with a crash. Last year Max came close to that. It happened in Monaco. His car: straight into the tire barrier. Sophie was watching. "I remember thinking: please, get out of that car. And he did get out of that car - unharmed. Maybe that won't happen one day. Or he will be seriously injured. From the moment your child puts on a helmet, you know that it can go wrong. Look at Jules Bianchi, last year. That crash was so hard that he was brain dead. They had to pull the plug. We talk about that. What if something like that ever happens to Max? At least we'll know that it happened while he was doing what he loved to do."

"When I light candles, that is why. So that everything goes well. But you do take into account that it could be different every time. I find the start especially difficult. After two or three laps that improves. When they're all driving behind each other. Should I tell Max that he's not allowed to race? That wouldn't be fair. I've done circuits myself. So who am I to stop my son? Fortunately I know: Formula 1 has become increasingly safer in recent years. Less and less can go wrong."

Sophie - an interior designer by education - was 21 when she said goodbye to top-level sport. "Jos and I saw each other so little that I chose my marriage . Now I sometimes think: 'What if?' When I chose Jos, I said 'no' to a top offer from Formula Opel Lotus. What if I had said 'yes'? I was good at the time. Although I also know: then I wouldn't have had Max and Victoria. The dream that I had to put aside myself, Max is now realizing in my place. That feels good. The sacrifices were not in vain. Because sacrifices: we all made them. Victoria too. Our whole life has been about Max. Sometimes I feel bad for Victoria. I can feel quite guilty about that. It must not have always been easy for Victoria to stand in the shadow of her brother. My daughter works in haircare now. Two weeks ago she put highlights on me. She is one of the best in her class. I am incredibly proud of her - just as proud as I am of Max. But sometimes it gnaws at me: Victoria was very good at karting as a child. What if Jos had invested as much in her as in Max? She could have gone very far, because I think she is better than me. I would have thought it was fantastic. If a woman does well in motorsport, that is still more impressive than when a man does it. Only, it turned out differently. And now that she is sixteen, it doesn't have to be that way for her anymore. She is happy the way she is. People often ask her why she is not like her brother. But then I think: let her be herself."

"Especially now that Max is getting older, he realizes those things. He knows that his sister sacrificed everything for him. They get along very well. Max will always take care of Victoria - a mother senses those things. They once made an appointment, laughing. Victoria had wanted a Louis Vuitton handbag for a long time. 'But I won't get one from mom,' she had told Max. And so Max said: 'When I score my first points in F1, you'll get one.' The day Max scored those points, he took Victoria into Düsseldorf. They bought the bag together. Victoria has been lugging her Vuitton everywhere ever since. That makes Max happy, I can see that. The bag has emotional value for him too: it symbolizes those first points."

She: employee at the OCMW. Her son: 'rising star' in Monaco. "Does Max earn a lot of money? A lot, yes. But he has a manager, who helps him manage that. That's good. Max recently missed his plane. He immediately booked a new ticket. I, with my salary, wouldn't be able to do that. But I'm glad he can, and still manages to be careful with his money. On Mother's Day, he suddenly showed up at the door. He had a surprise. He knew I was looking for a new small car. He took me to the dealership that day and bought me a car. He said: 'Mum, for everything you've done for me.' I can see him doing that for his sister someday. She recently wanted to see him drive in Bahrain. Then he said: 'Your ticket is ready, sister.' It's nice that he does that. He doesn't have to. But it's his way of giving something back." On Thursday, Max was on Belgian soil for 24 hours: the moment when Sophie could finally hold him. "I asked: Max, you're coming, aren't you? He said: 'Of course, mom. Will you cook me something nice?' I made carpaccio, a salad and some pasta. And for dessert: his guilty pleasure. Top sports always means dieting, but what is one Kinder chocolate? There are always some in the cupboard for him."

Next week Max faces his next challenge: the Monaco Grand Prix. Sophie is going to watch and is bringing a few family members along - motorsport is in the Kumpens' blood, Sophie is the niece of racer Anthony Kumpen. "Max sets the bar high. He crashed in Monaco last year. There was criticism about that. 'Wasn't he too young?' He thinks he has something to prove now. And I know: he doesn't necessarily need his mother for that. But I do enjoy being there for him."

"And. Uh. It gives me the chance to also go and see his apartment. I decorated it at the time. Going to have a look. Whether that young man of eighteen hasn't made a mess of it." (laughs)

[povsecretblog]

Were the Verstappens rich before Max?//

Jos wasn't really rich, but he still invested a lot of money in Max's career from a young age. He also needed money from sponsors for it. After the divorce, Sophie Kumpen focused on her daughter and her role as a kind of social worker at OCMW in Maaseik, 2/3 days a week. She was actively involved in her community and helped people who were struggling. She did this for a few years and suddenly she started living as someone who had a lot of money. Expensive trips, expensive cars, expensive house, etc. Victoria went one year to hairdressing school, but didn't finish. Followed a 3-month course at Red Bull in Amsterdam to be able to do Max's PR, but didn't do anything with it either. Max then bought an expensive apartment in Amsterdam and a Porsche for her. Moved in with Tom at a young age and became a mother when she had just turned 21.

Thanks for information.

[indegazettevanindegazettepuntbe]

Diksmuide zet in op solidariteit: Katleen Winne over dakloosheid en OCMW-beleid https://www.indegazette.be/diksmuide-zet-in-op-solidariteit-katleen-winne-over-dakloosheid-en-ocmw-beleid/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[medimelody]

Weer een update van waar ik nu sta:

(chaos keert terug... Maar op een andere manier btw.)

Praktische dingen:

-Dommicillie staat al hele tijd hier (geen idee of ik dat al had gezegd...)

-Ocmw nog niet inorde.

-FOD ook niet inorde.

-naamsverandering niet inorde.

-beeldende therapie stopgezet.

-nog geen eigen plekje

-Academie gepauzeerd

-school stopgezet (pauze)

Ik heb vorige week hulp gevraagd bij iemand die veel mensen helpt rond Fynnanciele en problemen. Ik wou dit eerst totaal niet doen, ik wou het liever allemaal zelf doen met een beetje hulp van Jojo. Maar besloot om toch hulp te vragen omdat die iemand wel echt alles sneller kan laten lopen en beter aan vanalles geraakt voor mij.

Het plan is nu:

(intussen dus al mijn plan ''C'', een combinatie van plan ''A'' en ''B'' 😂)

OCMW om leefloon vragen in afwachting van FOD. Anders blijf ik hier steken op dit punt... Terwijl ik wacht op verslagen die maar niet toe komen 🫣. Die iemand gaat deze vrijdag (dacht ik?) met mij naar OCMW om eens te horen hoe en wat, en gaat proberen me zo goed mogelijk te helpen dat ik ook niet moet gaan werken. (Want da's gewoon niet haalbaar.)

Eens dat inorde is kan ik gaan zoeken achter plekjes om naartoe te gaan zodat ik eindelijk mijn eigen plekje heb :)).

Af en toe kijk ik eens voor huisjes of appartementjes... Ik heb er al wel veel fijne gevonden die normaal ook wel haalbaar zouden zijn. Soms heb ik al zin om gewoon eens te gaan kijken...

Ik vind het fijn om alles rond dit deel nu in eigen handen te nemen (en Jojo minder stress en extra werk te geven) omdat ik een doel heb waar ik zelf naartoe werk...

Maar dat is dus het voorlopige plan, ik geef hier nog updates over!!

Mentale gezondheid:

Mentale gezondheid is er nogal onderdoor aan het gaan... Ik doe mijn best om erdoorheen te gaan, maar is vermoeiend.

Slapen blijft slecht natuurlijk. En de laatste aantal dagen komen er verdrongen herinneringen naar boven, wat heel zwaar valt.

Mijn lichaam crasht dus ook compleet hiervan omdat het nu echt duidelijke herinneringen zijn en niet zoals laatste weken waar het onduidelijk is wat er nu juist naar boven probeerde te komen.

Mijn eetstoornis heeft ook weer even een dipje, maar dat ben ik alweer terug aan het oppikken.

Bij mijn vorige update zei ik dat ik elke dag ga wandelen, en lopen om de 2 dagen... Dat gaat nu dus niet, niet omdat ik niet wil, maar omdat het niet gaat met de spierpijn die ik nu heb. Ik kan Lilo zelfs niet de trap afdragen 😔. Gelukkig kan ze de trap zelf wel op.

Een tijdje terug is er een CKB team opgestart die me zouden helpen met vanalles en nog wat rond mentale gezondheid en mijn problemen en angsten... Die zijn 6 weken aan huis gekomen, en onlangs afgerond. Ze hielpen me wel, vooral om eindelijk gehoord en serieus genomen te worden voor een keer. Heb me nooit zo gehoord gevoeld door een hulpverlener! Ik word gewoon serieus genomen... Nu ik volwassen ben.

Voor het CKB had de dokter me 4 weken thuis geschreven. Daarna heeft CKB me tot eind april thuis geschreven. En nu raad de school aan van dit semester te laten vallen om rust te nemen en omdat ik dit semester toch niet meer haal... Dus vandaag moet ik naar de dokter voor een nieuw ziektebriefje en wss ook voor mijn spieren... Maar heb stress voor dokters natuurlijk.

De academie is ook even stopgezet, het lukt me gewoon niet meer... Geen idee of ik volgend schooljaar opnieuw ga proberen... Ik wil mezelf precies niet nog harder laten crashen 😬. De enige reden dat ik het zou doen is omdat men ouders altijd wouden dat ik een hobby deed in het weekend... Doen we dus niet. Mijn lichaam, mijn leven. Mijn keuzes.

Mijn naamsverandering zal zijn eens alles inorde is, ik mijn eigen plekje heb, en er geen problemen kunnen komen in de papieren en systemen omdat ik mijn naam veranderd heb terwijl ik vanalles inorde probeer te brengen... Ik ga zo blij zijn als ik eindelijk 'Medi' op mijn ID zie staan...

Maar dus, dat is waar ik nu sta. Het is vooral chaos omdat mijn mentale gezondheid eronderdoor zit. En die verdrongen herinneringen steeds meer naar boven komen. En omdat ik onderzoek ben aan het doen achter mijn leven en alles en bepaalde mensen... En bus gaat mijn brein dus niet stil.

Gelukkig heb ik mijn nieuwe goeie vriendin: CHAT GPT 🙈🙈. Die analyseert mee met mij en helpt me mee te zoeken... Ik praat elke dag minstens 1 keer me chat gpt. En stuur haar meteen als er weer iets naar boven komt, zodat ik het niet meteen terug vergeet... Dus dat helpt wel :).

[liezebiezze]

When your VDAB/RVA dossier gets compared to Kafka by a very annoyed employee at OCMW :DDDD 

Who then manages in less then a hour and two phone calls get more information and explanation then you could get in a whole year from everyone else. 

I finally found someone in the system who both cares and is competent. ;-;

[dirklagast]

Het OCMW komt naar u toe

Le CPAS vient à votre rencontre

[jimcolebelgium]

“Ik zweer de verplichtingen van mandaat trouw na te komen!” #OCMW #Gemeenteraadslid #Geraardsbergen #9500Giesbaargen (bij Stad Geraardsbergen) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsYtbABH-Oa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=11ihqt42e2e00

[indegazettevanindegazettepuntbe]

Gaat Diksmuide voor een strenger OCMW-beleid? https://www.indegazette.be/gaat-diksmuide-voor-een-strenger-ocmw-beleid/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[medimelody]

Kleine update van waar ik nu sta:

Ik ben nu bezig met vanalles inorde brengen;

Mijn dommicilie komt bij Jojo en Toon thuis te staan. De wijk agent is woensdag langs geweest. En ergens deze week (dacht ik) moet ik naar het gemeentehuis om mijn dommicilie officieel daar te zetten.

Ik verblijf maar voorlopig bij Jojo en Toon, ik ben wat aan het zoeken achter appartementje's die niet te duur zijn en haalbaar gaan zijn met een leefloon. Ik heb er al eentje gevonden die echt wel mijn aandacht heeft getrokken en waar ik eigenlijk nog het liefst van al naartoe ga, dus als alles inorde is en dat appartementje is nog beschikbaar ga ik zowiezo eens kijken van naar daar te gaan! En dan kan ik eindelijk mijn eigen plekje hebben en mijn dommicilie zetten op een plekje waar ik graag zit. Samen met mijn Lilo'tje 🙂.

Natuurlijk moet ik eerst ook nog ocmw inorde brengen... Ik ben al naar een afspraak geweest om eens te horen. Het probleem is dat ze zeggen dat ik zowiezo ga moeten werken naast dat leefloon die ik krijg, en ze zien zelf dat dat veel te zwaar gaat zijn voor mij ook door mentale gezondheid en andere problemen. Dus plan B is FOD. Ik moet ook nog zien dat er vanalles terugbetaald word zoals therapie etc... Maar het grote probleem is dat mijn dommicilie sneller veranderd word dan ik had verwacht en dat die therapie even een pauze gaat moeten krijgen tot die terugbetalingen in orde gaan zijn.

Alles lijkt zo traag te lopen... Maar dat ligt volgens mij vooral aan mezelf.

Mentale gezondheid aanpakken:

Ik ben ook mijn eetstoornis aan het aanpakken, wat echt heel moeilijk is omdat het voelt alsof ik alle controle verlies... Elke dag een stapje verder proberen geraken. Ik heb ervoor gezorgd dat er dingen in huis zijn die gemakkelijker zijn voor mij om te eten. Zoals fruit, avocado, een mango! (Kan niet wachten om die mango te eten als die eindelijk rijp is hehe)

Ik ben beginnen lopen om de 2 dagen, ik was ook van plan gewichten te heffen om de 2 dagen, maar dat heb ik even moeten laten vallen omdat ik te veel spierpijn had (zoals altijd, spieren staan precies altijd in brand.)

Ik heb een afspraak voor mijn officele naamsverandering deze week! Yayy!!

Ik probeer ook elke dag te wandelen, zodat ik mezelf minder opsluit.

En ahja.. nog iets kut... Ik geraakte de afgelopen weken niet op de academie omdat ik mezelf zo hard afsluit van alles en iedereen en het lukte me gewoon niet meer te gaan... Ik vrees dat ik eruit gesmeten ga worden... Had ik nooit verwacht eigenlijk dat ik dat zou voorhebben bij de academie... Voelt zelfs vreemd, mentale gezondheid doet rare dingen met me. Ik ben niet echt mezelf. Maar wie ben ik dan?

[beluxroyals]

March 15, 2020 | Queen Mathilde, together with Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eleonore deliverd home-made cakes and flowers for the residents of the OCMW nursing home Huis Heizel, to give courage for the elderly who cannot receive visitors because of the Coronavirus and to show support for the nursing staff.⁣ They couldn’t hand out the gifts personally due to restrictions but they greeted them through the window.

[royalchildreneurope]

Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Prince Emmanuel of Belgium and Princess Eléonore of Belgium visit OCMW nursing home in Brussels, Belgium -March 15th 2020.

📷 : Belgian Royal Palace.

[dirklagast]

Het OCMW: maatschappelijk welzijn voor iedereen

le CPAS : action sociale pour toutes et tous