This is the first initiative that is part of the program The Foundation: Newcomers & Work.
The WerkHotel is a pilot project run by the Dutch Council of Refugees in collaboration with Refugee Talent Hub and Movement on the Ground. They focus on the hospitality industry. Hilton Hotels is an important partner. The aim of the project is to create at least 10 work experience jobs/work placements for newcomers with the prospect of paid work.
In addition, VluchtelingenWerk wants to gather practical knowledge in order to answer the following questions: Does the new approach work? What are the potential success factors? What can we improve? Is it possible to scale up?
The approach in brief:
- Personal meeting between newcomer and employer via a Meet and Greet.
- Personalized individual guidance from an employment coach, even after the match.
- Guidance from and by employers.
- Focus on sectors where demand for workers is highest.
- Space for training and education of candidates based on a personal plan
André Hendrikse, National Advisor on Labor Participation, Dutch Council of Refugees: "Building a new professional network is quite a challenge for refugees. That's why informal conversations with recruiters from a company like Hilton—without any prior selection based on resumes—are so valuable. It's really great that we're organizing this with so many different partners. The previous editions attracted between 100 and 200 participants each time.'
