King Willem-Alexander: looking for a roommate?

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is more than familiar with having young adults and teens at home; his three daughters all fit that bill with Princess Catharina-Amalia, 22,  Princess Alexia, 19, and Princess Ariane, 17. So, it is no surprise that he was comfortable and happy when meeting with young people at Kamers met Aandacht. 

The Dutch king visited Kamers met Aandacht, an organisation that is supported by the Oranje Fonds Growth Program under royal patronage. Kamers met Aandacht helps young adults aged 18 to 23 but who are not quite, yet, prepared to live on their own. It supports them to find housing that works for them. 

King Willem-Alexander looked excited to be visiting the organisation , asking questions when chatting with both staff and participants. He also joined several young people playing a game where they learned more about the difficulties that both renters and landlords face. Not only does the game help them understand what challenge they might meet, they also were given more information about the supports that homeless youth have available through the organisation. 

The programme specifically helps match landlords with young adults who are looking for a room to rent and to learn the skills needed in adulthood, like house maintenance, cooking, grocery shopping, and more. Not only do the youth receive an informal education but the programme ensures that they are paying an affordable rent. 

The Dutch Royal Family summed up the experience on their social media, saying ”“A roommate for a while, an experience for life!”