VluchtelingenWerk Nederland

VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (Dutch Council for Refugees) is a Dutch non-governmental organisation (NGO) that advocates for the interests of refugees and asylum seekers in the Netherlands. It operates from the moment of arrival through to integration into Dutch society, guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its work is carried out by paid staff and a large corps of volunteers who provide both social and legal guidance. The organisation was founded in 1979, when various church and political organisations that had become increasingly active in refugee reception during the 1970s united at the request of the government to help structure the reception of, in particular, Chilean refugees (from 1973) and Vietnamese boat people (from 1975). Its first director was Jacques Stuijt. When the government decided in the late 1980s to spread refugees and asylum seekers across all Dutch municipalities, VluchtelingenWerk grew rapidly, aiming to establish a local working group near every refugee and asylum seeker in the country. It has maintained that ambition, setting up working groups in all types of reception and deportation centres created by the government. In 2019 the organisation celebrated its 40th anniversary, attended by King Willem-Alexander. Today VluchtelingenWerk has around 9,000 volunteers and 600 paid staff across the Netherlands. They provide legal assistance with the asylum procedure and social guidance for building a new life in the Netherlands once a residence permit is granted. The organisation has three core tasks: personal support (legal and social guidance), policy influence (identifying bottlenecks in the asylum procedure), and promoting public support for asylum seekers and refugees in society. Refugees have indefinite access to legal consultations at their nearest VluchtelingenWerk location as long as it concerns their asylum status, and are entitled to social guidance such as help with contacts with agencies and financial matters including tax consultations and bill payment assistance. At the collective level, VluchtelingenWerk engages in lobbying and public awareness campaigns on fair asylum procedures, improving legislation and regulations, and combating prejudice. In August 2008 VluchtelingenWerk Nederland obtained special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), enabling it to put refugee issues on the international agenda at the UN. It is the only Dutch refugee organisation with this status. The organisation consists of the Vereniging VluchtelingenWerk Nederland, with a national office in Amsterdam and five regional foundations (independent legal entities): Noord-Nederland, Oost-Nederland, West en Midden-Nederland, Zuid-Nederland, and Zuidwest-Nederland. All regional foundations operate numerous locations from which refugees and asylum seekers are helped at municipal level, and VluchtelingenWerk is also active in all asylum seekers' centres. Direct management of locations is carried out from the regional foundations' head offices, where volunteer training also takes place. On its website, VluchtelingenWerk campaigns for a positive tone in the debate around asylum seekers' centres (azc's), noting that more than 98,000 people requested its 'Samen Leven' (Living Together) poster. It publishes reports and articles, such as one confirming that emergency reception is unsafe for children, and explains the EU migration pact and its consequences. It also shares personal stories of refugees, such as Suliman, a Syrian painter building his own painting business.

VluchtelingenWerk Nederland was founded in 1979 as a national umbrella organisation for refugee assistance. In the 1970s, various church and political organisations had become increasingly active in refugee reception, and at the request of the government they united to help structure the reception of, in particular, Chilean refugees (from 1973) and Vietnamese boat people (from 1975). The first director was Jacques Stuijt. When the government decided in the late 1980s to spread refugees and asylum seekers across all Dutch municipalities, VluchtelingenWerk grew rapidly. The aim was to establish a local working group near every refugee and asylum seeker in the Netherlands, and the organisation has maintained that ambition ever since, setting up working groups in all types of reception and deportation centres created by the government. In 2019 the organisation celebrated its 40th anniversary, attended by King Willem-Alexander. In August 2008, VluchtelingenWerk Nederland obtained special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), enabling it to put refugee issues on the international agenda at the UN. It is the only Dutch refugee organisation with this status. Today the organisation consists of the Vereniging VluchtelingenWerk Nederland, with a national office in Amsterdam and five regional foundations (independent legal entities): Noord-Nederland, Oost-Nederland, West en Midden-Nederland, Zuid-Nederland, and Zuidwest-Nederland. All regional foundations operate numerous locations from which refugees and asylum seekers are helped at municipal level, and VluchtelingenWerk is also active in all asylum seekers' centres. Direct management of locations is carried out from the regional foundations' head offices, where volunteer training also takes place. The organisation has around 9,000 volunteers and 600 paid staff.

• 2019

  Celebrates 40th anniversary, attended by King Willem-Alexander.

• 2008

  Obtains special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

• 1980

  Government decides to spread refugees and asylum seekers across all Dutch municipalities; VluchtelingenWerk grows rapidly and establishes local working groups.

• 1979

  VluchtelingenWerk Nederland founded as a national umbrella organisation for refugee assistance.

A leading Dutch NGO and advocacy organisation for refugees and asylum seekers, providing legal and social support from arrival to integration, and the only Dutch refugee organisation with ECOSOC consultative status.

• Legal assistance with asylum procedures

  Guidance and advice for asylum seekers during the asylum procedure.

• Social guidance for integration

  Helping refugees find their way in the municipality, with integration, work, education, and contacts with agencies such as UWV WERKbedrijf and housing corporations.

• Policy influence and lobbying

  Identifying bottlenecks in the asylum procedure and advocating for improved legislation and regulations.

• Public awareness campaigns

  Campaigns to promote support for asylum seekers and refugees and combat prejudice, such as the Samen Leven poster.

1. 1VluchtelingenWerk - Steun vluchtelingenvluchtelingenwerk.nl
2. 2VluchtelingenWerk Nederland - Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org
3. 3VluchtelingenWerk - Wikidatawikidata.org