New choices in Geldermalsen!
The city council in Geldermalsen wanted – silently – to decide to permanently (at least for 10 years) accommodate 1500 asylum seekers in an industrial area. The plan showed little insight into the real situation and needs of refugees and civilians. It would become one of the largest asylum seekers' centers in the Netherlands. Living in such isolation on a business park already hinders many natural opportunities for integration in advance. The consultation evening about this plan got completely out of hand. This is regrettable, but the situation that has arisen has given the municipal authorities the opportunity to reconsider and to base decisions now partly on what will be necessary and desirable in the future. And they did! The Municipal Executive has withdrawn the plan and they are now first discussing it with the citizenry.
From my experiences as founder of the Quality Center for Refugee Women in Utrecht, I can give a number of points for attention for this conversation and the new policy. War refugees are not temporary guests who leave again. They stay and need support to build a new life of their own. If refugees are helped with what they need to become a member of society, they can play a major role in this themselves.
In the initial phase in the new country, people are completely devastated and, above all, good shelter is needed: shelter, food, clothing, medical and psychological help. It is also important that the asylum procedure runs quickly, so that people know where they stand. It is known that endless waiting and uncertainty can cause new trauma and put people at a disadvantage.
Immediately after that comes safety and security. These are best guaranteed when families, friends, people from a certain city/region can stay as close to each other as possible in the beginning. At the same time, a first step towards integration can be taken by organizing cross connections with local residents. In Utrecht we have had good experiences with initiatives in which refugees and established Dutch people treat each other to a (traditional) meal. Such contacts can be vital in the integration process, especially if the newcomers can continue to live in the (first) municipality where they receive shelter. Moving six or more times is disastrous for developing a sense of home. The plans for – also temporary – reception of small groups of refugees, which have been developed by citizens themselves in various neighborhoods and villages in the Netherlands, fit in well with this. Because they feel heard, these citizens also want to help with the integration.
The third step is that people can stay active. Refugees have shown great vigor and resilience in the decision to leave and the path they have taken. Usually they are full of energy when they arrive here. Let's use that to the benefit of all involved. Children should of course go to school as soon as possible. Young people and adults should be given the opportunity to immediately start learning Dutch and/or English. Everyone should be able to volunteer. Even better when people can work. It is high time to lift the legal restrictions on getting active. In Germany, for example, there is a scheme that makes it possible to work, even if people do not yet have a (temporary) residence permit. Staying active facilitates a natural build-up of one's own life in the Netherlands and is also the best remedy for depression and psychosomatic complaints. Going to school, learning the Dutch language, doing volunteer work: it all requires living in an established community.
For the people who eventually stay, alone or with a family, then comes the phase of the real integration: getting to know the Dutch culture, all formal and informal rules, the procedures and regulations, the many authorities that play a role in your life, filling in the forms, seeking a balance between the values and norms of the home country and those of the Netherlands. At the Quality Centre, each refugee woman was given a 'coach' or 'buddy' with whom she could figure out that path together.
In all these phases, being small-scale and feeling connected to society are prerequisites for success. Refugees need housing with opportunities to start the integration process immediately. That literally means in the middle of society. It is positive if a municipal council looks for win-win situations, for example: which vacant buildings in the city can be converted into suitable places to stay? And which citizens' initiatives meet the needs of refugees? I wish Geldermalsen every success with the next steps!
Leida Schuringa
December 2015
Leida Schuringa is part of the SDi writers collective of CHE (Center for Human Emergence). This collective looks at social issues from Spiral Dynamics (www.spiraldynamicsintegral.nl) and thus offers insight into new solutions. Leida is the author of several books, including Dealing with Diversity; Working on a project basis for the non-profit sector and Community Empowerment in a developing country.
Dutch
Dutch
English
