What we do
Bringing magic to young lives in refugee centres
Hocus Pocus aims to show that refugee shelters can be different, that what is meant to be humane, can truly be humane. We do this by bringing a sense of magic into the lives of children and young people who have fled unsafe home environments.
Together with strong partners, we create psychosocial safety, child-friendly spaces, and opportunities for sport, play and a touch of magic. In this way, despite the seriousness of their situation, children can go through the asylum process in the Netherlands with a greater sense of wellbeing.
We are currently active in four locations: Katwoude, Willinklaan and the MS Galaxy in Amsterdam, and Ter Apel.
At each location, we build towards the ‘From House to Home’ model: child-friendly spaces that are brought to life through a cohesive programme of guidance, sport, play and creative expression.
What we create
At each location, we start by creating physical child-friendly spaces.
The Magic Box
Indoors, we create the Magic Box: a child-friendly space with clearly defined zones for play, rest and creativity. A place where children can step away from the intensity of the reception environment, use their imagination and find calm.
The Social Sport Hub
Outdoors, we build the Social Sport Hub: a multifunctional meeting place where sport, play and community come together. Open to all ages, low-threshold and accessible.
Hardware and software
The Magic Box and Social Sport Hub form the physical foundation — the “hardware.” But spaces alone are not enough. We bring them to life through a programme of sport, play, creative expression and personal guidance. Only when both come together does a reception centre no longer feel like a place of waiting, but like a home.
Curious how we make this happen? Read more about how we work here.
