Starting this summer, Commons Network has not one but TWO new team members. Both Taru and Ruth study at the University of Amsterdam. They will work with us as interns for the next few months and we couldn’t be happier to have them. We’ll let Taru take it from here.
My name is Taru Aitola and I am one of the two new interns at Commons Network. I am from a small village in southern Finland. For the past four years I have lived abroad.
In 2017 I moved to Amsterdam to start in the PPLE (politics, psychology, law and economy) bachelor’s programme at the University of Amsterdam. In those two years, I have moved four times and I’ve learned to be as direct in my communication as the Dutch 😉
Through my studies and my travels, I’ve gotten a little closer to figuring out how the world works.
When – by chance – I stumbled upon the website of Commons Network, I was immediately intrigued. Having recently taken a course on European politics and learning the specifics of its hierarchy, the bottom-up approach of the commons felt refreshing. Having experienced the process of moving from a small community to a much bigger international environment at a relatively fast pace, I realized that I miss the spirit of looking after each other.
For me working on the topic of commons means figuring out how everyday people can make a difference in the well-being of their local communities. I have already gained a taste of the power of community engagement here in Amsterdam while organizing a peer-to-peer support group for students suffering from mental health related issues.
Now, working at Commons Network I wish to learn more about the potential that lies in smartly managed shared resources. Specifically, I will investigate the link between mental health and commons and the human side of the commons vision.
