Social work does not need the Pied Pipers of Hamelin

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Johan Leman, 2 October 2026

Anyone who has worked in the social sector for long enough knows that some projects have a good chance of succeeding or can count on being sustainable, while others do not. Mistakes are, of course, always possible… but it would not be unreasonable to consistently include people with experience in the sector on committees responsible for assessing social projects.

I do not want to comment on the current affairs surrounding some of the proceedings that are currently ongoing, but it is striking that, at times, it was exclusively politicians, journalists and businesspeople who thought certain projects were fantastic.

I am reminded of this when I now hear that a large area adjoining the Kanal museum is intended to promote youth participation and the development of marginalised young people. For something described as incredibly innovative, politicians are then making millions available, which is subsequently enthusiastically applauded by some journalists.

And then, a few years later, people sigh: “We all failed to see that things could go wrong. How sad is it.”

When assessing projects in the cultural sector, people from the cultural sector are appointed to the assessment committees. Why should this not be possible when it comes to social projects?

When Sihame E.K. came to Molenbeek, more than €350,000 was found just like that, all at once. She did not even have to demonstrate that she knew Molenbeek…

Could policymakers now, at the very least, have the decency not to hold the social sector responsible for certain things that have gone wrong or may go wrong in the future?

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