What We Do – United Way | the Netherlands

Les extrêmes se touchent

End Goal:

Challenges:

More than 1000 unaccompanied minors (UAMs) seek refugee protection in The Netherlands every year.
Our main challenge consists in helping marginalized UARs, with refugee or residency status, that are outside social workers’ radar, especially those that stopped collecting social welfare benefits, have serious needs and are exposed to various dangers.
80% of newly arrived students score significantly worse than their classmates, leading to significant demotivation on their part.
They are then more likely to drop out of school and may even engage in criminal activities.
High results and successful careers become nearly unattainable.

How will our program change this issue:

This year, starting with 15 unaccompanied refugees from 18 to 22 years old, we aim to empower these young people and give them a chance to adapt to their educational setting and social environment through trainings (cultural awareness, soft skill development and vocational skills), internships and mentoring.
Young people, their families, their schools and their communities join forces with local partners (municipalities and NGOs), to exchange best practices and expertise, to create a broader social network.
Introducing well trained professionals and volunteers to this project, so the unaccompanied refugees receive a more complete guidance and can then specialize in accordance to their skills.

End Goal:

Equip young people with the financial knowledge enabling them to successfully finish their education
Reach 1,500 young people a year. When they have completed the program, they will be able to effectively and sustainably solve their financial issues.
Adopt a positive attitude in managing their financial affairs, including debts and loans.
Allow students to finish their school, thus reducing the school dropout rate and increasing the number of students enrolling for higher education.

Challenges:

Around 42 percent of people in the age group 16 to 25 have at least one debt, loan or overdue payment.
Young people often do not properly understand how debit and credit cards, banking and insurance services work.
They experience stress and lie awake at night, which may lead to health problems. Their self-image suffers, as does their performance at school.
As the situation deteriorates, youngsters often choose to leave school and take whatever job they can to settle their debts and make a living.
Those lucky enough to go to college often run up even higher debts than other young people.

How will our program change this issue:

We are focusing on adolescents who are registered in The Netherlands since 2015 and have a high motivation to integrate into society and the labor market.
Four steps: identification, selection, empower, and placement
Use social media to teach them how to wisely deal with their money and their debts and make sensible decisions on all their financial affairs.
Recruit and train volunteers, who will provide one-on-one support.
Volunteers motivate the young students while teaching them the skills and insights required to change their financial behavior.

End Goal:

With “Focus on your new future” we aim to offer female refugees a way to be autonomous and work towards a sustainable future.
Empower these women and take concrete steps towards their integration into the Dutch labor market and into society at large.
Equipping these women with the skills they need to find employment.
Being familiar with Dutch culture, values and traditions.
Being able to engage in social activities and use efficiently social services.
Being inspired to participate in ‘giving back’ programs, thus becoming a valuable social asset.
Being able to apply for a variety of jobs due to improved skills and competencies.

Challenges:

Women constitute around 30% of the massive influx of refugees in the Netherlands which started in 2013 (NL Country Report 2019).
Most women who are granted refugee status have little educational background, limited work experience and difficulty in using social services.
Only 11% of all women refugees who have been looking for work over the last 30 months were successful
The remaining 89% have little hope of employment. Gender stereotyping remains a stumbling block
They may become victims or perpetrators of criminality, drug use or trafficking and exploitation of all kinds

How will our program change this issue:

Providing access to the appropriate services.
Concrete initiatives such as language and skills training, job placement, peer mentoring and social networking.
Coordinate stakeholders and volunteers in the project management.
Networkpro, Newbees, Boostransvaal, Vrouwen aan de Amstel and Musea Amsterdam.
All of these have more than a decade’s experience of working in this sector. Volunteers will play an important part throughout the project.