[01] Origin story
Curious by nature. Sharpened by experience.
I’m Arend van Berkel. My view of communication has been shaped by different worlds: home, online culture, campaigns, youth organisations, politics and public communication.
That is where my work starts. First understand what is going on, who is watching and where the tension sits. Only then choose the words, tone and route that will help.
First setup. Plenty of questions.
Already looking, clicking and trying again. That curiosity never left. These days, the questions are more often about people, stories and trust.
Where it started
I want to understand why something lands.
Not everything has to be simple. But people should be able to follow what is happening, why it matters and what it means for them.
An explanation has to land somewhere.
At home I saw how quickly information can pass people by. News, government language and public debate can be factually correct and still fail to connect.
It helps to return to ordinary questions. What does this mean? Why is it happening now? And what does it mean for people themselves?
Online behaviour says a lot.
As a former professional gamer, I spent years in teams, chats and digital worlds. You quickly learn what tone, timing and atmosphere can do.
Campaigns force you to choose.
At D66, I worked on online campaigns for Fatimazhra Belhirch, Carline van Breugel and Laura de Vries.
Calm helps when many people are watching.
The pressure is often greater in public communication. People want clarity, the media want speed and internal interests play a role. Communication is not just about a polished sentence. It is about trust, timing and an explanation people can follow.
Visuals that immediately set pace and context.
I bring that combination of rhythm, culture and timing to the way I look at communication. First, sense the energy of a story. Then decide how to use it without losing the core.
Gaming & students 🎮
I built what I was missing.
U-Pad started because Utrecht did not yet have a place for students who wanted to share games, board games and esports.
Together with others, I built an association where connection, safety and online culture came together. With clear choices in tone, visuals, rules and atmosphere.
That is the link with communication for me. Positioning is not just saying who you are. You have to show it in everything you do.
A clear overview
A clear overview of my experience.
Not a wall of CV text, but an overview of the places that sharpened my perspective: public communication, politics, youth organisations, content and online culture.
Public communicationPress, online communication and crisis information
Press officer & online communication advisor
Gemeente Leiden
Press enquiries, media analysis, social media and online communication. Often on issues where tone, timing and trust matter just as much as the message itself.
Crisis communication web editor
Hollands Midden Safety Region · additional role
Keeping crisis information clear, current and easy to find. Fast when needed, careful because it matters.
Campaigns, politics & societyD66, young people and campaign communication
Online communication & campaign advice
D66 campaigns
Worked on online campaigns for Fatimazhra Belhirch, Carline van Breugel and Laura de Vries. For Fatimazhra, I contributed to sentiment analysis, social posts and tone of voice.
Head of marketing & communication
D66 Diversity Network
Marketing and communication for a network that wants to make inclusion concrete, with attention to visibility, representation and clear language.
Chair of the campaign working group
Young Climate Movement
As chair of the campaign working group, I kept the overview, divided the work and helped translate social issues into actions volunteers could take on.
Social media, content & creationFrom strategy to planning, post and story
Project manager & social media manager
Content Powerhouse
Reduce client questions to what matters most, then translate them into clear tasks for content, design and planning.
Social media & communication officer
Dutch National Student Association
Translate education policy into accessible content and online visibility. Complex subject matter, clear language.
Gaming, esports & online cultureSafe groups, students and digital subcultures
Founder & vice chair
U-Pad Gaming
Founded U-Pad Gaming and helped build a place for students who want to share games, board games and esports. With a clear focus on safety, connection and a counterweight to toxicity.
Board member
Dutch Student Esports Association
Contributing to the relaunch of the NBSE, with attention to clear rules, fair competition and a stronger place for student esports.
Head of marketing
ECV Esports
Marketing strategy, content and online visibility for an esports environment where players, followers and sponsors come together.
Digital media as a foundation
Words for what I was already seeing online.
My education gave me the language for what I was already noticing online: media, design and culture shape how people look, click and respond.
Pre-master New Media & Digital Culture
Utrecht University
A critical view of digital media and its influence on culture, behaviour and everyday life.
BSc Communication and Multimedia Design
HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht
A practical foundation in design, research, online marketing and digital communication. From an idea to something people can use.