Refugees finding employment in the healthcare sector is a win-win situation: refugees are eager to work, while healthcare organisations are facing staff shortages. The Dutch care institute Zuyderland is trying out this model through a pilot. 23 refugees have started a traineeship, after which they can follow a course on nursing and care.
Zuyderland expects it will need around 1800 of nursing and care staff by 2022. To close this gap, it is recruiting actively and creatively. And therefore it turns to refugees, because they are eager to work, says Zuyder land director Ageeth Bijl: 'We know that people feel healthier and happier when they participate. And status holders want to give something back to the Netherlands. Zuyderland gives them this opportunity through this project.'
Challenges
However, expertise is needed to make their employment a success. Cultural and language barriers are some of the challenges for healthcare institutes. And how do you find refugees that are willing to work at your institute?
Zuyderland, Municipality Sittard-Geleen and refugee organisation Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland organised a masterclass in June to share expertise. This concerned for example the recruitment process, which appeared to an intensive and specific selection procedure.
Lichi, Sanaa and Taha
Besides, some participants of the pilots refugees Lichi (25, Eritrea), Sanaa (47, Syria and Taha (45, Syria). Taha explained his motivation for the pilot, despite having a background as laboratory worker: ‘In our culture we find it important to take good care of old people.
Read the report here (in Dutch).
The pilot is part of the Interreg project IDZ-UDZ, which is led by Familiehulp. The project aims at finding employment for 500 refugees.
IDZ-UDZ receives support from Interreg Euregio Meuse-Rhine with EUR coming from the European Regional Development Fund and co-financing from the Walloon Region, Province of Limburg (BE), Province of Limburg (NL) and North-Rhine-Westphalia.