De Vrouwenschool

The history of de Vrouwenschool 
De Vrouwenschool in Nijmegen has a rich history of emancipation and sense of community. Starting with a squatted school building along de Gerard Noodtstraat, it has now become a flourishing living community in a former monastry, located at the Dominicanenstraat. 

In the late 70's, collective living started to grow in Nijmegen. The next decade the city grew into the center of living communities. De Vrouwenschool, having sprung from a squatter's movement, became a space for actions and meetings and played an important role in the women's movement. The building along the Gerard Noodtstraat offered a roof to various women's initiatives: from a keep-from-my-body-group to a bicycle workshop and screen printing, all organized for and by women.

When the municipality decided to demolish the building along the Gerard Noodtstraat, it supported De Vrouwenschool in finding a new location. That’s how the women ended up in the former Dominican monastry along the Dominicanenstraat. This monastry, built in 1904, had a long history as a educational institution (kindergarten, elementary school and ULO (extened primary school)). After World War II the building was renovated, but in 1983 the last 12 nuns left the monastry.

The moving tot he monastry marked a new chapter for De Vrouwenschool. The building was remodeled to HAT-entities (housing, singles and two-person households). The chapel, dining room and other spaces were transferred to De Vrouwenschool. The Dominican nuns were satisfied to see their former monastry being used for women emancipation.

Originally, the plan was for the Woningbouwvereniging Gelderland (WBVG) to buy the monastry and rent it to De Vrouwenschool. However, after introducing the Bruteringswet in 1994, the housing association could no longer finance the purchase. That’s why the women 1997 decided to buy the monastry themselves. That was an enormous task, but with the help of the STUT foundation (urgency program for intermediate facilities) and their own knowledge and capacities combined they managed to secure the finances.

Living in De Vrouwenschool
Living in De Vrouwenschool is about working and living together in an open and flexible manner, with everyone equally contributing tot he chores. There is no distinction between ‘’man chores or ‘’women chores’’. Whether it’s household work or maintainance of the building, everybody takes responsibility for what needs to be done.

Although the collective is based on the feminist movement, its vision has gradually shifted. In the past De Vrouwenschool used to be activist, but that has changed. Members acknowledge that the feminist movement is less activist nowadays. Within the collective, opinions about feminism vary. Some members are involved with feminist protests or themes, while others identify less with that label. This makes for debates about the degree of feminism of De Vrouwenschool.

In order to talk about their visions on feminism and other important matters, the women organize so-called visiondays on a regular basis. The outcome of these days are divers because each member looks at life in De Vrouwenschool in a different way. Some seek for a safe, feminist living or working space, others regard the collective as a pleasant, green and affordable living or working space. What all the members do share is the pursuit of a green life and thinking together about ways to reduce the ecological footprint.

Because of the diversity in personal perspectives, De Vrouwenschool doesn’t have a firm ideology. The collective’s vision moves with the necessities and convictions of the group. There may not always be a clear consensus, but it could be that the power of the collective actually lies in this. 

Organisationstructure of De Vrouwenschool
De Vrouwenschool is organized as a democratic collective, of which the members are actively involved with taking decisions. Although there is no official board, the daily affairs of De Vrouwenschool are managed through consensus and collaboration of all the members.

Eight times per year, every six weeks, the collective comes together during the ALV (general assembly). During these meetings important decisions are made. In order to make a decision, a majority of three-fourths is necessary, provided that at least half of all the members is present. Members who are absent can have themselves represented by a authorized person. That way all the voices are heard and the collective can exist with a democratic decision making.

Besides the ALV’s, there are different smaller work groups which focus on specific aspects on the building and the community. These work groups are essential for the maintainance and the development of De Vrouwenschool. During the ALV they will account fort heir responsiblity about the costs they have made and the activities they have done. The groups also present the planning for the next year and discuss the corresponding budget.

In order to support the activities of work groups, each member pays a monthly contribution of € 7,50. These contributions are used to cover the budgets of the different work groups. During the annual meeting the budgets of all the work groups will be worked out. Besides this financial injection, the women also physically contribute about half a day per week, both through participation in work groups and general obligations like joining the ALV’s and collective chores-day.

Collectivity and Social Activities
De Vrouwenschool runs on the collective effort of the members and collectivity plays a central role in the daily life. Each member takes part in one or multiple work groups like the garden group, chores group or PR-group in order to maintain the monastry. There are also regular collective chores days to keep the spaces and garden in good shape. Through working together, they make sure that their living and working space stays functional, without being too dependent on external help.

The income of the Kapelhotel will, among other things, be used to make De Vrouwenschool greener, for example by buying solar panels.

The residents also organize social activities that strengthen the mutual collectivity as well as their involvement with the neighbourhood and the wider society. The street festival for Burendag is an example of how the residents try to maintain connections with the neighbourhood. While organizing social activities, members try to commit to charities, for example by gathering money for Stichting Straatmensen. These activities not only make for connections among the residents, but also with the outside world. After a period of less collective actions during the pandemic, time has now come again to strengthen the community feeling, with sheer enthusiasm.

The Chapel
The chapel of De Vrouwenschool is a multi-functional space that plays a central role in the community. It’s the place where internal activities are held, but also external events such as yoga lessons, performances and theatre plays. The chapel’s contribution brings the women together and the rentals also have money coming in. Later on, this money is redistributed again.

During the Nijmeegse Vierdaagse, the largest hiking event in the world, De members transform the chapel into a unique hotel, specifically for women. They call it the Kapelhotel. It offers female hikers a place to rest. The chapel will be designed as a sleeping room and restaurant fort he guests. The income of the Kapelhotel will, among other things, be used to make De Vrouwenschool greener, for example by buying solar panels.

Working spaces for Female Entrepreneurs
Despite the different ideals there is one value within De Vrouwenschool which all members share: assisting women with setting up their own businesses. The building gives access to eleven working spaces, specifically designed for women who want to set up their own business.

The working spaces are offered at affordable rates, which are deliberately lower then the living spaces, which is usually the other way around. This way the women can realize their business and artistic ambitions without high costs forming an obstacle. De Vrouwenschool is not only a place where women live together, but also grow professionally, making it a special place to bear responsibility while also getting a chance to be independent.

Among the active entrepreneurs of De Vrouwenschool are diverse initiatives. Yvette Rohde (Atelier Rohde) and Dieke Coumans are visual artists, while Simone (Hapjes van Simone) and Mieke Lavrijsen (De Rode Comcommer) offer catering services. Barbara Krantz runs the Praktijk voor Muziektherapie. Loes (Who’s Loes?!) and Marloes de Laat are both grapic designers, with Loes also working as an haptotherapist. Ingrid Sewpersad (IS-Ontwerp) is a graphic designer as well and active as an artist. This diversity of businesses shows De Vrouwenschool as a breeding place for innovation and creativity. Each member contributes to the community in a unique way.

A unique living experience
Vrouwenschool offers a special living space for women who like to live in a collective environment. The former monastry is has been rebuild into nineteen living spaces, spread among four floors. Through the merging of old monastry cells, each room has its own character and layout, no room is the same. Although each resident has her own space, on each floor the women share a kitchen, toilet and bathroom. Every floor therefore grows a sub group, with people living close to one another and taking care of the common spaces.

Mortgage problems
Everyone working or living in De Vrouwenschool is member of the association and therefore joint-owner of the building. The members pay contribution to cover the mortgage and other costs. Since there is no commercial party around that wants to make a profit, the living costs remain low and affordable. This model has been succesful for years.  

When the housing model was set up, the plan was to take out a new mortgage after the old one was paid, so that former members can be paid.

However, the increasing reservations of banks to issue collective mortgages puts the model under pressure. It’s becoming harder and harder for De Vrouwenschool and similar communities to keep their building. A challenge for these associations is the so-called ‘statutory compensation’. When the housing model was set up, the plan was to take out a new mortgage after the old one was paid, so that former members can be paid. Without this system, the first group of residents would pay too much for the building, resulting in the following residents to live there for ‘free’. Had they foreseen how much the prices of houses would be rising, they possibly would’ve made a different choice.

Taking out a mortgage has become more and more difficult. The current mortgage of many associations, including De Vrouwenschool, finishes soon, making fora n uncertain future of these collective housing associations in Nijmegen. For a long time, Rabobank was the only bank that was willing to finance housing groups, but recently the bank has withdrawn.

Despite the fact that associations such as De Vrouwenschool have always paid off their mortgages as expected, banks deem the risk of issueing mortgages to multiple owner too high. Some associations are therefore forced to sell their building.  

Future perspectives
De Vrouwenschool is looking for different possibilities to keep their building. The association is talking with WBVG to see whether they can take over the building. Besides that, women are delving into the option to join Vrijcoop, which makes real estate sustainable and affordable by buying it off the market. This model has succesfully been applied in different places, among which is a housing association along the Bronsgeeststraat in Nijmegen. Recently, De Vrouwenschool has also held a brainstorm session with old members to gather more ideas. Subsidies are also being explored. The options becoming more concrete as pros and cons are both considered.

On top of that, no progression is visible with regard to new financing solutions. Rabobank reported that they would like to look again into financing possibilities for housing groups, together with banks and the government. A specific mortgage for housing associations could be an example. Different housing associations in Nijmegen have united themselves in the Netwerk Nijmeegse Woonverenigingen. By now, the Nijmegen municipality has passed a motion which supports associations like De Vrouwenschool. That offers hope for political involvement and assistance. 

Despite the challenges, members are dedicated to continue their unique way of living and working together. Although activism within De Vrouwenschool has taken a bit of a back seat in recent years, the near expiration of the mortgage has given it a new life. The collective shows resilience and continues to be committed for affordable living spaces for women. With new solutions and political support from the government within sight, there is hope for De Vrouwenschool to remain a safe and stable living environment in the future.