Melissa van der Lingen (second from the left) in the Wageningen council chamber. Own photo Who: Melissa van der Lingen
What: Labour Party councillor for Wageningen
Why: collaborating to make Wageningen a better place
Hourly wage: none; monthly allowance of €1096 for a 16-hour week
You’ve got to make ends meet somehow. We can all borrow from Uncle DUO, but there are also students who earn money from unusual side jobs, such as Melissa van der Lingen, a Bachelor’s student of Management, Economics & Consumer Studies and Economics & Policy.
‘I’ve been in the Wageningen municipal council for nearly four years. Council work is very worthwhile and I get a lot of fulfilment out of it. If you’re interested in politics, you can send a party an email to ask whether you can come along to a council session. I’m a PvdA (Labour Party) member because I’m on the left of the political spectrum and the PvdA is a sensible party — not particularly sexy, but significant. The party has high standards and always answers for its actions. I think we should expect that from our representatives and councillors. The PvdA party in the council has three other members in addition to me. There are also a few support members. I started out as a support member and knew immediately this was my thing.
I feel I’m a councillor first and student second
Council work is a side job — meetings are usually in the evening — but it is still a lot of work. Actually, I feel I’m a councillor first and student second (and my grades reflect that). I’m doing a Bachelor’s in Management, Economics & Consumer Studies and Economics & Policy. Fortunately, a social sciences degree in Wageningen gives you plenty of freedom. As a councillor, I get a lot of practical experience in topics that come up in my lectures. That gives a different perspective on the course material and the degree subject.
There’s a really good atmosphere in the municipal council and the town as a whole. National politicians often get threats but there is none of that here. I like the fact that we can get things done in Wageningen’s council despite the inevitable differences of opinion. We are all very dedicated.
A lot of time is spent on preparation: reading documents, lots of meetings. That can be stressful and quite a high proportion of councillors end up with a burnout. We’re currently going through a somewhat quieter period. I want to carry on working in public administration later, but I’m not yet sure how or what exactly. It will be a while before I graduate, so I’m not worrying about that yet.’
