Cooperation between a municipality and a martial arts club can produce something valuable

An entrepreneurial martial arts club and the municipality: at times they seem to be two separate worlds. In The Hague, the municipality and the martial arts gyms have found each other without difficulty. The Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit (quality mark of the Netherlands Martial Arts Authority) plays an important role in this.

The platform Alles over sport devotes an informative article to the interaction between The Hague and the martial arts sector in the city. "Most martial arts clubs are commercial sports providers. Municipalities have traditionally cooperated more intensively with traditional sports associations. Cooperation with commercial providers is still in its infancy. In addition, martial arts suffered from a negative image. Even so, a partnership between the municipality and these clubs developed in The Hague."

Among other things, the article explains how the municipality used the Keurmerk Vechtsportautoriteit to strengthen the relationship between the martial arts gyms and the municipality. Pjotr Behrtel, policy adviser and sports consultant at the municipality of The Hague: "In 2019 we made an effort to make the quality mark of the Nederlandse Vechtsportautoriteit (Netherlands Martial Arts Authority) available to all types of martial arts providers in The Hague. As a municipality we covered all costs and provided guidance. A quality mark like this helps us and our partners in The Hague to identify the good sports providers." Within a short period, 41 of the 92 martial arts providers in the city were certified.

The Hague also offers training programmes to the certified martial arts clubs. Pjotr: "In the past I taught sports classes in prison. From that perspective too I am familiar with the social value of martial arts. We want to make better use of that value through training, building connections and organising networking meetings. In addition, we do not provide subsidies, but support on themes such as member recruitment, volunteer policy, social impact and finances."

Step by step, people are seeing what martial arts gyms mean for the neighbourhood. They draw young people in and the trainers hold a key position in the neighbourhood. Pjotr: "We consider sport important, but the social value of the gym is also considerable."

Read the full article on the website of Alles over sport