Mainline is shutting down. De Regenboog Groep is taking over its operations in Amsterdam.
Delen
Mainline is closing. For 36 years, this national organization has worked to prevent and reduce harm caused by drug use. Mainline shared information, reached out to people on the streets, and provided training. Its focus was not on getting people to stop using drugs, but on supporting those who do use, in a way that fits their situation and needs.
Unfortunately, Mainline’s work is now coming to an end because a key national grant is being discontinued.
Shared Vision and Approach: Mainline and De Regenboog
De Regenboog Groep shares much of Mainline’s vision and approach. We, too, believe it is important to be open to people in the most vulnerable situations. We believe in the power of harm reduction: an approach in which quitting drug use is not a prerequisite for receiving support.
Just like Mainline, De Regenboog Groep is in direct contact with the people it serves: the users themselves. We do this, for example, in our user spaces in Amsterdam, but also by actively seeking out people and listening to their experiences and needs.
Mainline's Activities in Amsterdam
Thanks to support from the City of Amsterdam, De Regenboog Groep can continue part of Mainline’s work in Amsterdam. This will give our outreach efforts and our commitment to harm reduction a significant boost. If we succeed in securing funding, De Regenboog Groep will also continue to address the issues surrounding chemsex.
Another piece of good news is that several Mainline staff members will be joining De Regenboog Groep. They bring a wealth of experience and knowledge with them. This expertise will thus be preserved and put to use for the people who ultimately matter most.