Our colleague Dennis has been working at Refugee Talent Hub for six months now. He is very busy preparing for our annual public event that will take place on Thursday, June 20. Yet he found the time to share the experiences of his first six months and which quotes from newcomers inspire him.
Please note: this article was translated using a translator app
Creating opportunities
If one thing has become clearer to me in my first months at Refugee Talent Hub, it is the motivated talents in the Netherlands who deserve more opportunities. It is really inspiring to see how much potential there is and how much these people want to contribute to society. A term that often comes up is image formation: the way we look at people with a refugee background and talk about them can really make a world of difference.
Positive stories and encounters can break prejudices and open doors, and I think that is really necessary. Fortunately, I can contribute to this in my role at Refugee Talent Hub. Because for us it's all about creating opportunities. The goal is clear: bringing refugees and employers together for paid jobs. We dream of a Netherlands in which employers see and utilize the talents of refugees, and where refugees have the right opportunities on the labor market.
During small-scale, tailor-made meetings and activities, the personal meeting between employers and refugees is central. That sounds like a nice one-liner, but it becomes very concrete in our work. For example, a while ago I met Sahar , who was participating in a mentoring program at Manpower. She told me why those activities and personal meetings are so important:
“I live in a small village where I don't speak to many people. I have built up a network by actively attending all kinds of events. I even made friends through Refugee Talent Hub activities. I wish the same for other newcomers.”
Sahar, Recruitment Consultant bij Manpower
Or take this quote, from a 'mentee' at TwynstraGudde's mentoring program, which emphasizes the importance of personal connection:
“The program has helped me to feel less lonely. My mentor helped me a lot. I feel strong.”
“Refugees are professionals who happen to be born somewhere else": it is a phrase that we often use to encourage employers to look at newcomers with a different look. I heard these words for the first time during the 1000th match event - which also was my first day at work . I have often thought about it in recent months when I spoke to participants in our programs, such as at the closing event of Ochtendmensen, where one of the participants spoke:
“We have a lot of experience in our country. But it is not important in the Netherlands.”
And even if you manage to find a job, that doesn't automatically mean you feel integrated. Mustafa, who found a job through Arcadis' Talent Academy, explained this to me during a nice conversation , in which I asked him about his experiences as a professional with a refugee background. Conclusion: finding a job is only the beginning of a much longer road:
“I'm working now, but I would also like to build a social life with acquaintances and friends. But the experience of being a refugee is simply traumatic, I notice that it takes time to make the step to become an integrated person.”
Mustafa, Junior Architect bij Arcadis
In recent months I have had the opportunity to meet many talented people. We try to help them in their search for work. A former participant called us a “one-stop-shop for career enhancement”. I hope we can be that for as many professionals with a refugee background as possible. In any case, it won't be my fault. Six months on the road, and many more to go: I'll be here for a while.
"Refugee Talent Hub is a one-stop-shop for career enhancement"
→ Do you also believe in our dream, and do you also want newcomers to have the right opportunities on the Dutch labor market? Register now for our public event on June 20. Visitthe registration pagefor more information.
