“We showed what a welcoming society could look like”

Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, partners of our Social Initiatives program had to navigate turbulent water. Program managers Ria de Jong and Job Rijneveld look back on 2022 and tell us about the most important developments in the program.

What is your impression of 2022?

In 2022, society reopened after a long coronavirus period and everyone could meet each other again. Children and young people went back to school, and people in vulnerable situations could be reached again with help and guidance. In March, many people from Ukraine sought help and protection, and the Netherlands showed what a welcoming society could look like. We hope that we can treat all refugees in this way, now and in the future.

What are essential developments in your program?

Instead of perpetuating the distrust that many people already experience when seeking support from the government, our theme ‘help and perspective’ wants to expand on a trust-based approach when helping people (see also the article on page 24). Additionally, we are exploring the role that people with lived experience, such as young people, refugees and people in poverty can play in developing effective forms of help for this target group. For example, increased participation of young people is high on our agenda. This is why we support partners who actively work on including young people in issues that affect their lives and their future. We believe it is crucial for them to develop their own ideas and talents, and make sure that their voices are heard. We will also discuss this topic with other foundations. Finally, we are trying to apply the lessons we learned from supporting Ukrainian refugees to our overall approach to all refugees arriving in our country.

Can you give us an indication of what we can expect from the program in 2023?

Almost too many to mention! Just a few examples include that our partners will introduce more art and culture in refugee shelters, they will expand the number of emergency services for people in poverty, and they will enable young people to develop their own new ideas that make a positive contribution to society. Furthermore, partner organizations will cooperate even more closely to improve the situation of undocumented migrants in the Netherlands.