COA Pilot Program Boosts Refugee Employment in Noordoostpolder

A report by De Stentor highlights a pilot project in the Noordoostpolder municipality in collaboration with the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). The project has shown that effective guidance, suitable job opportunities, and proper support are crucial to help refugees find work. Of the ten participants in the trial, three managed to secure a job.

The COA’s long-term goal is to have half of asylum seekers employed within a few years. Peter Deinum, the local director of the project, emphasizes the benefits: “It improves well-being and provides structure to their day. They want to earn money for themselves.”