Interview: Nol van Gerven for Provincial Council

As most will probably know, the Provincial Council elections are coming up in 2019, but before that happens, the list of candidates needs to be decided. This will happen at the Provincial Assembly on 25 November in Delft. This is where we as DWARS will go to be well represented to make our young voices heard, because even though there are many DWARSers on the list, we also want to be represented in the Provincial States and we are not eligible for that at the moment. So we would like to vote Nol van Gerven higher on the list at the PLV. Do you also want to contribute to this? You can! If you want to be there and vote with us, sign up via THIS link and you can get your here put present on Facebook! There will be travelling together from the congress in Rotterdam, so if you want to travel with us, please let one of the board members know.

And now the floor to Nol:

Can you introduce yourself?

I am Nol van Gerven, a student of Industrial Ecology (a kind of sustainability science) in Delft and Leiden. I have been active for DWARS since 2015, and most of you will know me as your previous political secretary. Besides politics, I like good beers and conversations, cycling and playing guitar.

How did you end up at DWARS?

At my old student union, I was on a committee with Femke Nijsse, the political secretary green (then there were three instead of one) in the 2015-2016 board. She knew I found sustainability, energy and resources very interesting and invited me to join the energy committee (now energy, sustainability and mobility) one day. After my first meeting, I immediately signed up.

What does a Brabander do in South Holland?

Actually, I have been visiting South Holland for many years, as I have been working as an exam trainer in Leiden for five years. I have also frequently used my student-ov to go on day trips to The Hague, Rotterdam and Delft. All these cities have something special, a strong character of their own. And although the countryside of the province is mainly the terrain of the Christian Union and SGP, it is absolutely not inferior to the Brabant countryside in terms of beauty.

What will you do if you get into the provincial councils?

As a representative of green young people, I naturally want to champion the interests of young people, and a rapid transition to a more sustainable South Holland. For example, I want new building plans to include student and starter homes and new public transport connections to make educational institutions more accessible. But young people also find sustainability important. That is why I want to ensure that the province's fine words about sustainable energy and the circular economy are also translated into action.

Why do you want a higher spot on the candidate list?

The combination of a fresh new outlook and my substantive knowledge of the province's green issues means I can really make a difference. In addition, I have the patience that is sometimes needed in the province. Changes happen slowly, so you have to put them in immediately, and then have the patience to stick to them.

Finally, young people are poorly represented in provincial politics. Not surprisingly, the turnout for the provincial council elections among young people is very low. I hope to make a small contribution to the rejuvenation of the provincial councils, and to get as many young people as possible to the polls during the campaign. Will you join us?