Welcome in the Netherlands!

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www.welcomeinthenetherlands.nl 1 Januari 2016

4 14 24 32 Welcome in the Netherlands!

Sara (15) and Zaina’s (32) story

Mother for all children, Nidos employee Eva

Dutch words, do you know all these words?

6 10 12 16 18 22 26 28 30 34 35 36 Thinking of you!

Passports to happines.

Thinking of Holland

Know your organisations

Refugees interview asylum director IND, interview with Renger

Wishes from the heart

Break your walls of silence, interview with Yvonne IDEA NL

The day of ‌ COA employee Freerk

My goal, rap by Abdullah

Street interview If you were to flee, what would you bring?

Make waiting fun!

Super food

Thinking of you in premiere!

Welcome in the Netherlands!

We are a team of 17 (refugee) boys and girls between 13-18 years old. We go to school at the Jade College in Smilde in the north of The Netherlands.

Some of us came with our family and live in a centre for asylum seekers [AZC] in Oranje or Geeuwenbrug.

A few of us came alone and stay in a campus with other young boys and girls without family.

Ten months is the longest time one of our team members stayed here. Most of us have a status. Only some of us are still in the asylum procedure.

When we first arrived in the Netherlands we felt confused. We didn’t know what to expect. The different language, the asylum procedure, a new culture, and the rules are difficult.

We find it great to welcome and inform you with this magazine, our animation, and three short video clips.

We wish you: luck, safety and happiness everywhere you are!

We hope you like the information we made for you!

Abdullah, Argerzt, Fares, Haya, Hussein, Jabarti, Jusuf, Rama, Sara, Mohammad, Muhudin, Nafisa, Naiel, Nour, Nour, Omar, Youssef.

You find our work on: www.welcomeinthenetherlands.nl.

Like us and leave your wish on Facebook: @Welcomeinthenetherlands

‘We find it great to welcome you and and to inform you with this magazine’ AZC [Asielzoekerscentrum]; centre for asylum seekers also reception centre.

THinkin

of yo

Meet the magazine ma short passports to hap wishes for you.

Fight for what you love. Never give up! Be happy everywhere you are! Jabarti (18)

Stability Rama (16) came from Syria with aunt.

Her family will follow soon. She likes swimming and reading.

came with his four brothers, three sisters and stepmother from Ethiopia. He loves movies and football.

Veel geluk!

Nour (15) from Syria came with her father, mother, two brothers and sister. She likes drawing.

THinking

ou

love

Good luck

Peace!

To find consolation in yourself [zelftroost]

Fares (16) came from Syria to the Netherlands alone. He likes football.

Youssef (16) came with his father, mother, brother and two sisters from Syria. He likes singing (rap.

akers! Read their ppiness and their

Sara (15) came from Syria with her mother, two brothers and little sister.

She likes dancing, singing and eating.

Mohammad (17) came from Syria alone. He likes skiing and swimming. He thinks time will solve everything. So you have to be patient and everything will be all right :).

Nour (16) came from Syria with his father, mother, brother and sister.

‘A peaceful life for everybody!‘

Naiel (14) came with two brothers, mother and father from Syria.

He likes playing football and wishes you: A safe life in the Netherlands!

Welcome in the Netherlands!

Nafisa (13) and Muhudin (15) came from Somalia with their mother, father, five brothers and two sisters. Nafisa likes drawing and Muhudin likes football.

‘safe life!’

Haya (14)



Check our ‘Welcome in the Netherlands!’ video here!

‘have a good time’

Luck with the language!

Omar (17) came alone from Eritrea. He likes football.

Muhudin (15)

Jusuf (15) came from Somalia with two sisters, three brothers and his father and mother. He likes to play football.

good luck!

Abdullah (16) and his sister Haya (14) came from Syria with one other sister, their father and mother. He likes football. She likes to draw. Both of them love swimming.

Happiness

Hussein (17) came alone from Syria to the Netherlands. He likes shopping.

Respect for everything.

Argertz (16) came from Albania to the Netherlands with his parents. He likes playing football.

Think

Hol

At Jade College in S typically Dutch to you sho

king of

lland

Smilde we asked people: What is u that new Asylum seeking children ould know about?

‘What do you think of Holland?’

Street interview If you would flee, what would you bring?

“clothe

es”

“I would bring my passport, valuable things and warm cloths.”

“I would bring health and miss peace” “I would bring my family and pets.”

“I would bring my wife and children.”

“I can’t imagine that I would have to flee, because the Netherlands is a safe place.”

Sara & Zaina’s story

Zaina loves to help children.

Zaina’s story Interview by Jabarti, Jusuf, Muhudin, Nafisa.

‘My life now is a good life. I’m happy!’

Zaina Karekezi (32) fled Rwanda because of the problems in her country at that moment.

She was 16 when she arrived alone in the Netherlands. She got help from Nidos and COA. When she arrived in in the Netherlands she felt confused, but was happy to be in a safe country.

‘I made friends from day one!’, she says. First she lived at a reception centre [AZC] in Haarlem for 3 Months and went to school [Internationale Schakel Klas, ISK] to learn Dutch. After 6 Months she started her new life in Groningen and went to secondary school there.

She did have problems with understanding the language at first and missed to speak her own language. She also missed her family and friends in Rwanda. She studied hard to learn Dutch. She brought her dictionary everywhere. This way she learned speaking the language within 6 Months.

Today, Zaina is working as a lawyer for Nidos.

She loves to help children. All children have to have a voice. Especially, children without parents. In her free time Zaina likes to go shopping. This was already her hobby in Rwanda.

She also likes to spent time with her family, friends and boyfriend. My life now is a good life.

I’m happy!

‘It’s a complete different world!’

Sara’s Story

Interview by Flicks Producties.

I am Sara, 15 years old from Syria.

I’m in the Netherlands with my mother, two brothers and my little sister. I hope my father will follow us soon. We call each other on the telephone. We fled from our country, because we want to live in peace. In Syria it’s not peaceful. We came to the Netherlands by foot, boat and truck.

When we arrived. I was scared and worried.

We are in another country. I don’t know what to do or where to go. I don’t know anyone here.

It’s a complete different world. Everything is different: the weather, language and life.

I live in reception centre [AZC] Oranje now.

My house and my room are small, but I love it.

I like dancing, singing and eating! My mother helps me when I have questions. In future I want to become a psychiatrist. I love to hear what everyone thinks.

‘I wish a peaceful life for everybody’ 

Check Sara’s video here!

Very important: COA and Nidos can help you go to school from the start!

IND [Immig decides if the Nethe ww

Know your

organisations!

Rama, Yusef, Muhadin, Abdullah

Gezondheidszorg [health care]: If you are ill you can go to a doctor.

In an emergency you can go to the hospital.

Beyond Borders: supports asylum-seeking children (under 18) who came to the Netherlands alone and haven’t got a permit (yet) to build their future. www.beyondborders.nu/nl

COA [Central Agency for the R Asylum Seeker]: helps you an to find a place to stay: in a rec [AZC] and after you get your municipality. You can ask the you have questions. For exa need a doctor. They can also go to school: www.co

Defence for Children International The Netherlands: is an organisation working to promote and protect the rights of the child. If you feel your rights are not met. You can call the helpdesk to support you: 0715160980: www.defenceforchildren.nl

NIDOS [G tion]: take that com with w

Advocaat [lawyer]: If you have a (legal) question in your asylum procedure the lawyer is there to help you.

We felt lawyers are serious, but friendly.

Gemeente [Municipality] looks together with COA for a house for you when you are in the Asylum Seekers Centre. Once you have your permit and the municipality found you a house your new life will start..

gration services]: you can stay in erlands or not: ww.ind.nl.

Vluchtelingenwerk [Refugee council]: welcomes you in the Netherlands. You will probably meet them in Ter Apel. They support you with any questions during the asylum procedure and after: www.vluchtelingenwerk.nl

Reception of nd your family ception centre r permit in a em for help if ample if you o help you to oa.nl

Guardianship organisaes care of boys and girls me to the Netherlands hout their parents: www.nidos.nl.

Kinderombudsman [Children’s Ombudsperson]: The Children’s Ombudsperson protects the rights of children and young people (till 18) in The Netherlands. www.dekinderombudsman.nl

‘They are good people! They always smile!’

Nour

Politie en beveiliging [police and security] are there to help and protect you. The police fights crime. You might meet people from security organizations at your school or in a shop. They prevent fights or shoplifting from happening.

School: COA or NIDOS help you to go to school. You learn the Dutch language, maths, sports and swimming. We think swimming lessons are nice and necessary, because there is a lot of water in the Netherlands.

Asylum

procedure You can find your rights in the Convention on the Rights of the Child As a child you have rights. All countries in the world made appointments about the human rights of children. For example the right to education, housing, health and protection for refugees. You can find all your rights in the Children’s Rights Convention: www.kinderrechten.nl and www.tell-me.nl If you are in a new country there are new rules. It already starts with the asylum procedure.

1 2 3

You can arrive in the Netherlands with or without your parent(s).

You go to Ter Apel and will be welcomed by a security officer.

AIVM takes your fingerprints for registration.

4 5 6 7 8

COA and VluchtelingenWerk can help you with your questions.

You and/or your parents are interviewed by the IND. The IND asks why you left your home.

A lawyer and translator help you(r family) during your interview.

IND decides whether you (and your family) can stay in the Netherlands or not.

If you have arrived with parents you wait for the decision in an AZC. COA is there to help you. If you’ve arrived alone you will stay in a campus with other young people. Nidos is there to help you.

In this period you start going to school.

9

If your decision is positive you will get  10 a permit. If you are with parent(s)

COA and a municipality will try to find you a new house as soon as possible. If you are without parent(s) Nidos will take care of you till you are 18. They will place you in: • KWE [Kleine Wooneenheid],

house with four children aged

14-18; part-time care.

• KWG [Kleine Woongroep]:

house with max twelve children

aged 13-16, full-time care.

KWE

[Kleine Wooneenheid], house with four children aged 14-18; part-time care.

KWG

[Kleine Woongroep]: house with max twelve children aged 13-16, full-time care.

Your new life starts.

is negative. You(r fam9 ily)thecandecision  If fight this decision in appeal.

Again a lawyer and translator will support you. Also Defence for Children International the Netherlands can help you: www.defenceforchildren.nl. A judge will decide if you have a right to stayor not.

If you and your family didn’t get a permit COA can no longer give you a place to stay. Nidos will take care of you until you become 18. Beyond Borders can help you build your future: www.beyondborders.nl.

10

AIVM

[Afdeling Vreemdelingen Identificatie Mensenhandel]: takes your fingerprints for registration.



To get a better idea, check the animation

Tips from Dutch asylum director IND What does the IND do for me?

Interview with Renger Visser by Nour, Sara, Nour.

What are your hobbies?

My biggest hobby is mountaineering. There are no mountains in the Netherlands. So I sometimes go climbing in the Alpes. I’m also referee at the football club of my two sons. They are 13 and 15 years old.

Furthermore, I love to walk with our Shepard dog.

hundred employees are working on questions of asylum seekers.

What does your workday look like?

I read dossiers and go to a lot of meetings with employees and managers.

Sometimes I have to take decisions in individual cases.

What is your job?

I am Director of the Dutch Asylum and Protection Department of the Immigration and Naturalization Service [IND]. I have been working for the IND for 18 years. From which 5 years as Director of the Dutch Asylum department.

What does the Immigration and Naturalisation Service do?

The IND makes decisions about three cases: asylum seekers, people who apply for what we call regular residence, e.g. work/study/family, and people who want to become Dutch citizens.

What does the IND do for me?

You can ask for asylum in Ter Apel. If you are over 15 years old you will get an individual interview about what happened to you. After the interview the IND decides if you get a right to stay or not. Children like you who are from Syria at present usually get an asylum permit because in Syria there is a war going on. Sometimes, when in our opinion a country is safe, we think we shouldn’t grant an asylum permit.

How many people work for the IND? ? 3500 people work at the IND. Fourteen

How many refugees can the Netherlands take care of?

It’s difficult to say how many refugees the Netherlands can take care of. Due to the high number of refugees at this time we surely need to find extra beds.

What is your advise for refugee children?

It is my wish for you that you try to remain a child. I can imagine that this is difficult, because of your experiences at where you come from, the asylum procedure and living in a reception centre. But I do hope you keep on trying.

3X TIPS

1

Try to live in the Netherlands

as a child.

Learn the Dutch language. It 2

makes it easier to integrat Have contact with Dutch 3

children: play and have fun.

Make waiting fun!

After arriving in the Netherlands you have to wait a lot, for example at AC Ter Apel.

What do you do when you feel bored?

Before you know it, you can’t wait to wait again;-)

Eat or drink in the waiting room.

ď„›

Play on you mobile phone.





Listen to music and dance.

Check the girls…

ZZ

Sleep, but don’t do this at school!

Z

AC [Aanmeldcentrum]: To start the asylum procedure you have to go to AC.

Mother for all children, Nidos employee Eva Aalders Nidos takes care of asylum seeking children without parents.

‘Nidos gives children who arrive in the Netherlands alone a home.’

Interview by Sara, Nour, Rama

Eva (29) lives in Assen. She likes reading and visiting music festivals. She and her husband have two young children.

Eva tells us she works for Nidos.

Nidos takes care of children who arrive without their parents in the Netherlands. They make sure boys and girls will get a home: with other young people or a family.

She meets every pupil about once a month.

They talk about their life. How it goes.

Sometimes she visits a movie with them.

Other times she helps for instance with sleeping problems. After children become 18 years of age the Nidos help stops.

Eva says: ‘As Dutch lady, it is very nice to work with young people from so many different countries.

Eva wishes you: The Netherlands becomes your second home where you feel safe.

That you make friends, finish school, find a nice job and get a family.

Sinterklaas: A Dutch tradition where children get presents on the 5th of December.

Gezellig: Cosy

Together with her family she celebrated the Dutch tradition: Sinterklaas this weekend. She asks us if we knew what Sinterklaas was. We (Sara, Nour and Rama) had never heard from it. Until yesterday!

Sint and Piet visited our school and brought us presents. We found it: cosy [gezellig]!

Eva meets children in:

• AZC [reception centre] when children have a family member like an aunt.

• KWE [Kleine Wooneenheid], house with four children aged 14-18; part-time care.

• KWG [Kleine Woongroep]: house with max twelve children aged 13-16, full-time care.

Wishes from

Our wishes from our hea

from the heart

arts for you!

What do you wish for?

The day of COA employee

Freerk Interview by Nour, Sara, Nour.

Freerk lives in Oranje. He works for COA since April 2015. Before that axworked in the care sector. He likes to run, play chess and to sail.

10.00-11.00 I help asylum seekers with their questions at the information desk.

The problems, which I can directly solve, I like best.

8.15 My colleagues and me

8.00 I pick up my walkie-talkie at the COA reception.

talk about what to do that day.

Everybody has his or her own agenda. Some have an appointment with an asylum seeker.

Others walk around to check the cleaning, bike repair and super market.

11.00 I write down my activities at the computer. And do some administration. Every day people come and go in AZC Oranje. I like to work with all these different people and hear their stories. I welcome families into their house. Give them their key and money

13.30 We meet the COA evening crew to tell them what happened that day.

And we divide the tasks for the afternoon.

14.00-15.00 Appointments to try to help more asylum seekers with their questions.

16.30 End of my working day.

3x Did you know?

• There are about 700 people at AZC Oranje, amongst them 250-300 children.

• There is a translator telephone [tolkentelefoon] that helps you translate your questions and answers.

• COA gets a lot of questions when people will get their house in a municipality.

22.00 The COA evening crew works at the centre until

Tolkentelefoon: Translator telephone or interpreter phone.

Freerk wishes: that you had a safe journey to the Netherlands.

And when you are here that you will be involved in our society as soon as possible.

SUPERFOOD Nafisa (13, Somalia) loves macaroni. She could not do without it at home. She is a really good macaroni chef herself.

She finds it sad that you can’t eat macaroni at school.

Haya (14, Syria) loves almost every pizza. She finds it delicious.

She doesn’t want to miss french fries with mayonnaise and ketchup.

Jabarti loves his pizza’s hot and spicy. He wouldn’t want to miss his sisters’ cookies because they are the best.

What food do you never want to miss?

Martinique (28, The Netherlands) loves lasagne. Her mom made it really good. She always thought it was home made, in stead it came from a package. She doesn’t want to miss out on meat, especially chicken.

Naiel (14, Syria) loves french fries.

He would never want to miss macaroni at home. His mother cooks it so well.

We asked Dutch people what food they’d miss if they were to leave the Netherlands. Then, we asked ourselves the same question.

Hollandse Nieuwe: Special kind of raw fish. You only find it in the Netherlands.

Marja (54, The Netherlands) teacher creativity likes reading and handcrafts. Likes to eat fruit and vegetables.

Friet: French fries Frikandellen: deep fried meat snack

Rob (45, The Netherlands) loves to cook himself and wouldn’t like to miss Hollandse Nieuwe and mussels.

Merel (10, The Netherlands) likes hand arts and craft.

She doesn’t want to miss french friesand super frikandel.

Bobbie (13, The Netherlands) likes basketball and gaming. He can’t do without pancakes.

Concierge Berthold (25, The Netherlands) loves Turkish food and would never want to miss potatoes.

Dutch words

I

[Internati a school fo rived in the have to le IND: Imm

Do you know these words?

GE IND

Immigration services

AIVM

takes your fingerprints for registration

Frikandel deep fried meat snack

NIDOS

[guardianship organisation] takes care of asylum seeking children who arrived in the Netherlands without their parents.

To

KWE

[Kleine Wooneenheid]: house with four children aged 14-18; part-time care.

Friet French fries

[Aanm start th dure yo

ISK

ionale Schakelklas] or pupils who just arNetherlands and still earn the language. migration services

COA

KWG

[Kleine Woongroep]: house with max twelve children aged 13-16, full-time care.

GEZELLIG

[Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers] Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers.

Sinterklaas

Cosy

A Dutch tradition where children get presents on the 5th of December.

olkentelefoon

:

Interpreter phone.

Hollandse Nieuwe Special kind of raw fish. You only find it in the Netherlands.

AC

meldcentrum]: To he asylum proceou have to go to AC.

COA

[Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers] Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers.

AZC

[Asielzoekerscentrum]; centre for asylum seekers also reception centre.

Break your walls of silence ‘It is important that children are supported to tell their story!’

Interview with Yvonne from IDEA NL by Nour, Mohammad, Fares.

‘Listen! Express your views and be open for different opinions.’

Yvonne works at the International Debate Education Association in the Netherlands. In short: IDEA NL. Her job is to help young people to express their feelings without limits. She also supports them in finding their goals. Which to me (Mohammad) is really important. ‘You have to learn to know your opportunities for your future!’

Mostly, people have a lot of problems and challenges to talk about. Yvonne feels they can use someone to encourage them to break their walls of silence. Especially children! I (Fares) love kids too and find it really important that they are supported to tell their story.

Yvonne teaches people to debate, to believe in themselves, and to accept other’s opinions and beliefs. She says: ‘Debate is more than talking. It can be expressed in art, music and by making a movie, like you did.’

IDEA goes into the neighborhoods where they help people and cultures to merge. I (Nour) find this really good! Every person is a human and is equally important. Yvonne advises: ‘Listen! Express your views and be open for different opinions.’

My goal Rap by Abdullah

from Syria 16 years old.

My message has to arrive as a whole.

First I arrived from Syria I see my goal Through the eyes of Dutch men I see a safe life and security This makes me a stronger and feel positivity Dutch society is helping me.

However, my Syrian friends think Syria is the best.

I have to put salt on my wounds Try to accept the rest.

I thank this country with its beautiful people to have opened my eyes.

Dutch men don’t know rockets in their Dutch skies.

They know to be human, And respect each other in a multicultural environment.

I hope in return to help this country In the end.

�

Check the video here Abdullah likes to become a rapper? And you?

Thinking of you in premiere!

The ‘Thinking Of You!’ information magazine and videos is meant to inform our young refugee peers arriving in the Netherlands. Our products have officially been launched At the International Day for the Migrant on the 18th of December. Movie theatre Ketelhuis in Amsterdam rolled out their red carpet for us.

You can find our products here and follow us on Facebook #Thinkingofyou

Supported by:

Colophon The talented team of boys and girls of the Jade College produced this magazine:

Like us and leave your wish on Facebook: @Welcomeinthenetherlands

Abdullah, Argerzt, Fares, Haya, Hussein, Jabarti, Jusuf, Rama, Sara, Mohammad, Muhudin, Nafisa, Naiel, Nour, Nour, Omar, Youssef.

Facilitation: Simone BommeljĂŠ, Martinque Salomons and Ruud van der Graaf.

Video-making:Flicks producties

You find their work on: www.welcomeinthenetherlands.nl.

ono-ono, magazine on the spot www.ono-ono.nl Contact us for your magazine: Simone BommeljĂŠ 0031(0)6-41509962.