The Meldpunt Discriminatie Regio Amsterdam (MDRA) has installed two new board members as of December 7, 2022: Dennis Boutkan (chairman) and Danny ten Veen (secretary).
Due to the expiration of the terms of office of the current chairman and secretary, the board of the MDRA searched through various channels for a new representation of the residents of Amsterdam and the surrounding municipalities. In appointing the chairman and secretary, a particular search was made to strengthen the board in order to continue the new direction of the MDRA in the region. In addition to the many reports, the MDRA also faces an increase in the complexity of complaints. The hotline remains committed to reaching and supporting residents of the Amsterdam region who experience, see or hear discrimination as easily as possible. The MDRA is pleased with the accession of these two board members.
Dennis Boutkan (Amersfoort, 1966) is an independent organizational consultant with Upstream Consulting. He has an education in labor & organizational psychology. He has broad administrative experience as chairman of COC Amsterdam, among others, at cultural institutions such as film festival De Roze Filmdagen and Pride Photo Award. He has political experience as a councilor in the municipality of Amsterdam for the PvdA between 2014-2022. Previously, he was a member of the Seventh Committee for Amsterdam as "Ambassador of Courtesy. Boutkan is looking forward to serving as chairman. "The MDRA fulfills an important role in fighting discrimination. I have seen what exclusion does to people. Working for inclusiveness, making sure everyone has equal, fair opportunities is for me the foundation of a decent society. That's what I'm happy to commit to."
Danny ten Veen (Amstelveen, 1999) is a youth and family professional, is doing the master's degree in Clinical Orthopedagogy and serves on the daily board of the soccer club Amstelveen Heemraad. He is an itinerant supervisor in youth care and has experience as a youth coach and student counselor, among other things. Because of his social work background, Ten Veen is broadly
socially interested and educated. ''I believe everyone should have the space to be able to be themselves. I want to work for this in my administrative role and hope to bring awareness to the younger generation to contribute to an inclusive society.''
The Meldpunt Discriminatie Regio Amsterdam is an independent foundation with the goal of addressing and preventing discrimination and influencing social processes that underlie it. The MDRA has a legal task to register complaints about discrimination, to handle them and to look for solutions. The MDRA is there for all residents of the municipalities of Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Aalsmeer, Diemen, Ouder-Amstel, Uithoorn and urban areas Driemond and Weesp.
The term of office for unpaid board members is 3 years; one may be reappointed once for the same period if necessary.