About the Author: We are Stamily, which is an international organisation for people who stutter/clutter (pws/pwc) and our allies from all over the world, founded in 2020, rich in diversity and bound by one shared experience: we stutter. Stamily strives to raise awareness and improve the lives of people who stutter, innovate, create an inclusive, safe space, support everyone on their personal journey as a person who stutters and connect the stuttering community through online and in-person events, as well as courses. Together, we can make a difference and create a more inclusive world for those who stutter. More about Stamily at stamily.org/

Stamily is an international non-profit organization based in the Netherlands that was founded on the very premise of ISAD: listening. Established in 2020 as a continuation of the European Youth Exchanges, Stamily also aims to provide a safe space for members. Within the philosophy of Stamily: “Stamily proves that we can create a judgeless community where stuttering is the norm, where everybody listens to what we have to say, instead of how we say it. Embracing and accepting our stutter is the path in life that most of us choose to follow. We, Stamily, want to support everyone on their personal journey as a person who stutters.” 

A Membership Driven Organization

Stamily was founded with its Members held paramount to the heart of the organization after listening to the participants of the European Youth Exchange to get organised. The board listens to the interests of the members, organises what members would like to do, and members are invited to get involved. There are also open board meetings every 4th week, where members can join a board meeting, come with ideas, or simply listen to what’s planned ahead. Members can also write blogs for the website or host online workshops. See the organization of Stamily below:

WhatsApp Groups

All members of Stamily are invited to join the We Are Stamily Whatsapp group. Within this space, members share and listen to each other’s personal stories of their lived stuttering journeys to garner support, and learn from one another as we experience life. 

Youth Exchange

In the summer of 2023, Stamily hosted its first ever European Youth Exchange, where young adults who stutter from seven European countries gathered. The exchange is not based on therapy, but on finding your strength. During the week there are workshops, from Mindfulness and nature to art and Speaking Circles, but also cultural events, where we listen to and learn about the different cultures through presentations, food, folk dance, etc. Stamily has since hosted a second Youth Exchange in the summer of 2024 and more are in the planning.

Meetup

As members not only want to chat online, through the Whatsapp group or online events, (for example, game night or Stamily and Friends), we listened and organised meetups, and one is planned in Prague in October. This is not only a fun event where members enjoy each other’s company and see the city, but also an event where members discuss Stamily, its direction, events, the website, its policy, etc. This way Stamily is always evolving, not only for, but also by its members. There are also Stamily cafés, informal meetups over a bite or a drink, and all members are warmly invited to host one in their country.  

Collaboration

Stamily listens to other stuttering organisations and we’ve collaborated through different events. One example is Stutterviews, where someone from the stuttering community will be interviewed by interviewers and the audience, a collaboration between Stamily and Stuttering Society.

Confidants

When it comes to safety, we also listened, and we now have confidants, to safeguard a secure environment within Stamily for all our members. This necessity arises due to the potential occurrence of bullying and harassment, or any other unsafe experience, in any organization or association. A confidential advisor serves as a trusted individual with whom the affected party can have a confidential conversation. The role of a Stamily confidant primarily involves providing a non-judgmental listening ear to members who have been offended. They create a safe space where Stamily members can openly share their experiences of unpleasant incidents without the fear of facing retributions within the organization.

If you’re interested in learning more about Stamily, check out our website, follow us on social media, join Stamily and Friends events and Stutterviews (both open to all), contact us, or come and chat with us at different events. We listen.