How a Common Purpose course led to the creation of a
partnership between the police and a private security firm
Luuk Ferwerda has worked for most his career in management
positions in the security sector. During this time he has taken
many internal and sector oriented training courses. Participating
in a Common Purpose course in Amsterdam added many "extras" for
him:
"In the security sector many professionals are trained within
the company. There's nothing wrong with that of course, but one has
to be aware of the fact that one could get too internally focused.
Internal spirit is important for the company's bottom line, but for
me the real benefit lies elsewhere.
"Participating in the course in Amsterdam opened my eyes to
the current reality of Amsterdam - opportunities, challenges and
the added value of working together across sectors. It has
stimulated me to take decisions which were good for the company,
but also in tune with the actuality of Amsterdam. For example, I
explicitly sought and found synergy between the police and the city
district we operate from instead of maintaining an unspoken
competition with them, because I became convinced of the added
value of co-operating with different partners where enhancing
safety is concerned. And I learned to understand that "if one
can't share, there's nothing to multiply".
"I have also profited on a personal level. By working and
interacting with a very diverse group of intelligent, committed and
fun Amsterdam professionals who functioned as a critical sounding
board and catalyst for ideas and energy, I was able to take some
important steps forward."
