Expert pool for integration in Zaanstad

On behalf of the municipality of Zaanstad, we organized two expert pools with people who are currently participating in the integration program. Together, we explored their daily experiences and needs, how they experience the support towards participation in work, unpaid work, and education, and what they believe could be improved within the current integration system. For a participatory approach, we also involved participants as co-researchers, preparing them to conduct research within their own communities. We then analyzed the findings together with the participants to determine which themes stood out most for them and which experiences require more attention.

The expert pools focus on the lives of newcomers. In interactive sessions using creative and inclusive working methods, participants share their stories, reflect on bottlenecks, and contribute to practical solutions. This approach makes it possible to gather substantiated and meaningful insights that go beyond statistics and truly reflect everyday life. The results support the municipality of Zaanstad in developing policies and practices that are better aligned with the lives, qualities, and ambitions of newcomers.