What Plaats de Wereld does

Plaats de Wereld (legally Stichting Plaats de Wereld) is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 2012 and headquartered in a renovated industrial building at Westerstraat 26a, Vries, Drenthe, Netherlands. The organisation operates as a community hub and "broedplaats" (incubator) for green lifestyle and social connection, integrating a village garden (Dorpstuin), multiple craft ateliers (wool/weaving, needlework, herb, wood), a communal vegetarian kitchen, a tea room (Le Thé Salon), a retail shop (Atelierwinkel) selling handmade goods, a storytelling theatre (Verhalentheater), and a children's adventure club (Avonturenclub). It also runs international solidarity projects supporting small-scale initiatives in Africa, Asia (Kyrgyzstan), and Latin America (Chiloé, Chile). The organisation reaches approximately 6,000 people annually and is supported by nearly 150 active volunteers alongside a small team of paid professionals (1–10 employees), with co-initiators Johan Westerhof and Yvonne Westerhof–De Leeuw serving as founders. It holds ANBI (Public Benefit Organisation) status.

The underlying technology stack is minimal and non-proprietary: a standard WordPress website with an integrated WooCommerce webshop handles workshop ticket sales, event registrations, and donations, while the organisation maintains a YouTube channel for video content. No APIs, mobile apps, AI/ML systems, or proprietary platforms are described. Distribution is hybrid — activity tickets are sold both online and on-site, while handmade retail products are sold exclusively in-store to allow customers to experience the goods firsthand. Tea salon service is limited to Monday–Friday afternoons (13:00–16:00).

Name

Plaats de Wereld

Legal name

Stichting Plaats de Wereld

Website

https://plaatsdewereld.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Plaats de Wereld is a Dutch non-profit community hub in Vries, Drenthe, that delivers sustainability workshops, craft ateliers, a tea salon, a village garden, and a children's adventure club, while supporting international projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It serves approximately 6,000 people annually through nearly 150 volunteers and a small paid team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Education and Cultural Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Crafts & DIY (Paper, Fiber, Wood, Resin, DIY Projects) (EDAAAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

DIY & Home Skills Workshops (Woodworking, Carpentry, Home Repair, Gardening) (THAJAKAI), Spoken Word & Performance Poetry Workshops (EDAMAMAM)

Keywords

• Community education workshops
• Sustainable living programs
• Handmade artisan retail
• Volunteer community center
• Green lifestyle ateliers

Headquarters

HQ city

Vries

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Workshop and Activity Fees: Revenue is generated through paid workshops, cooking classes, fermentation courses, story theatre evenings, children's adventure club sessions, and other activities. Prices range from €10 to €135 per individual session or event, with multi-session packages available.
2. Retail Sales — Handmade Products: The atelier shop sells handmade goods produced by volunteers, including hand-woven cushions, wooden stools, wooden birdhouses, herbal teas (using herbs from the garden), jams, cleaning products, herbal vinegars, beeswax cloths, and natural soaps. Products are sold exclusively in-store.
3. Tea Salon — Le Thé Salon: The tea salon serves fresh herbal teas, coffee, and homemade treats prepared with ingredients from the garden or local area. The Salon-kaart is inspired by nature and world flavours. Open Monday to Friday 13:00–16:00.
4. Donations and Patronage: The organisation collects donations through a 'Word onze vriend' (Become a Friend) programme and accepts financial contributions, including for its international projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The bank account details are publicly listed for donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Plaats de Wereld is a non-profit community hub ('broedplaats') in Vries, Drenthe that delivers educational workshops on sustainability, crafts, vegetarian cooking, fermentation, natural skincare, foraging, and storytelling; operates the Verhalentheater (story-theatre evenings), Le (Thé) Salon tea room, and a Keuken serving communal vegetarian meals; sells handmade volunteer-produced goods (cushions, wooden stools, herbal teas, jams, natural soaps, beeswax cloths) through an on-site Atelierwinkel; maintains a community Dorpstuin (village garden) and craft Ateliers (wool/weaving, wood, herbs); runs a monthly Avonturenclub for children aged 7–12; and channels donations into international solidarity projects in Africa, Asia (Kyrgyzstan), and Latin America (Chiloé, Chile).

Product overview

Plaats de Wereld is a community center and incubator for green lifestyle and connection, offering a diverse portfolio of programs and services centered around nature, creativity, and community. The organization operates as a unified platform combining volunteer-driven craft ateliers (wool/weaving, wood workshop, herb workshop), educational workshops (cooking, fermentation, natural skincare, foraging), a tea room (Le Thé Salon), a village garden (Dorpstuin), story theater (Verhalentheater), an adventure club for children, and international development projects. Nearly 150 volunteers support operations across these areas, reaching approximately 6,000 people annually. The organization is housed in a renovated industrial building (2017) with an adjacent garden, and also supports small-scale international initiatives in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Le (Thé) Salon: Theeschenkerij (tea room) operated as a separate venue within the Plaats de Wereld premises, open Monday to Friday 13:00-16:00.
• Verhalentheater
• Avonturenclub

Products and services

• Workshops Educational workshops covering cooking, crafts, nature education, and personal development. Offerings include cooking workshops (vegetarian/plant-based), fermentation, bread making, natural skincare, herbal remedies, foraging walks, and storytelling sessions. Prices range from €10 to €135 depending on duration and format.
• Verhalentheater (Story Theater) Storytelling event format where people share personal life stories around themed evenings, featuring six storytellers and live music on the cosy attic of Plaats de Wereld. Admission is €10 per person.
• Le (Thé) Salon (Tea Room) Afternoon tea salon offering fresh herbal teas, coffee, and homemade treats prepared with ingredients from the garden or local area, decorated in North African style. Open Monday to Friday 13:00–16:00.
• Atelierwinkel (Workshop Shop) Retail shop selling handmade crafts produced by volunteers including hand-woven cushions, wooden stools, wooden birdhouses, herbal teas (from the garden), jams, cleaning products, herbal vinegars, beeswax cloths, and natural soaps. Products are sold exclusively in-store.
• Dorpstuin (Village Garden) Community garden growing vegetables, fruits, and flowers with raised beds for accessibility, maintained by volunteer groups with a focus on sustainable and organic practices. Supplies produce to the on-site kitchen and tea salon.
• Avonturenclub (Adventure Club) Monthly activity club for children aged 7–12 featuring outdoor play, cooking, crafts, nature exploration, and cultural activities held on the third Wednesday of each month. Activities include fire-building, cooking, crafts, and nature play.
• Worldwide Project Support International solidarity programme supporting small-scale initiatives in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through knowledge sharing and financial contributions. Includes support for the Fountain of Life day centre and hospice for homeless people in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and children's camps in Chiloé, Chile serving approximately 100 children.
• Ateliers (Craft Workshops) Various craft ateliers including wool/weaving, needlework/handicrafts, herb workshop, and wood workshop where volunteers create handmade products using techniques like felting, spinning, weaving, origami, and embroidery.
• Keuken (Communal Kitchen) Communal kitchen preparing vegetarian meals for village lunches and dinners, using produce from the Dorpstuin and emphasizing honest, pure ingredients with minimal waste.
• Word Onze Vriend (Become a Friend) Donation Programme Donation and patronage programme accepting financial contributions to support the foundation's activities, including international solidarity projects. Bank account details are publicly listed for direct transfers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 6,000 people reached annually through activities and community programmes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Stichting Development Support FrontcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Long-standing collaboration since 1999 with Stichting Development Support Front, together with Plaats de Wereld and Kansen voor Kinderen in Ontwikkelingslanden, supporting the work of Rosio and Ana Maria's team in Chiloé, southern Chile. The project organises children's holiday camps for approximately 100 children who would otherwise not be able to go on holiday, provides family support on the islands, and offers educational guidance at four primary schools. The project is visited every other year by a group of volunteers from the Netherlands.
• Kansen voor Kinderen in OntwikkelingslandencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Collaboration since 1999 alongside Stichting Development Support Front and Plaats de Wereld supporting the children's project in Chiloé, Chile. Jointly funds children's holiday camps, family support, and educational guidance programmes for approximately 100 children and their families on the islands of southern Chile.
• Rosio and Ana Maria's team (Chiloé, Chile)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Local partner organisation in Castro, the main town on Chiloé Island in southern Chile. Led by Rosio and Ana Maria, the team organises children's camps for approximately 100 children, provides family support on the islands, and delivers educational guidance at four primary schools. Rosio and Ana Maria visit the Netherlands once every five years. The project is funded through gifts from within and outside the Netherlands.
• Fountain of Life (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlaats de Wereld supports the Day Centre and Hospice for homeless people in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Many homeless people are addicted to alcohol and physically very ill, and mostly die on the street. The hospice provides homeless people in their final phase a safe place to spend their last phase with dignity. The founder is Margaret Gordon. Donations are accepted via Plaats de Wereld's bank account under reference 'daklozencentrum Azië'.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=AGPeD6ZMZeg
• Facebookfacebook.com/plaatsdewereld

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plaats de Wereld