PRE-START / RE-START PROGRAMMA
We help refugees to become economically independent and self-reliant by finding work. For this it is necessary to learn the language, to return to a work rhythm and to gain experience. Refugee Company developed two programs: first a pre-start, then a re-start.
With our Pre-Start programme we welcome people from the asylum seekers center. We get acquainted and invite the residents to come and work as volunteers in our restaurant. We offer hospitality and barista training and together we build a beautiful safe place.
After people have had the time to catch their breath and orientate themselves to Dutch society and the labor market, the re-start begins. This is a six-month work-study trajectory in the safe space of A Beautiful Mess. The participants start building a new life in a safe environment. They work in one of our Restaurants or the Mondmaskerfabriek, learn the language, improve their knowledge and skills and build a network. We organise excursions at companies and prepare our participants for job applications. Employers can participate in meet & greets in order to meet candidates.
We help municipalities with offering work experience places, language lessons in the workplace and giving courses in the field of KNM (Knowledge of Dutch Society) and ONA (Orientation on the Dutch Labor Market).
After six months the participants are partially or completely ‘work fit’ and our role mainly consists of referring to training or mediating towards a first job. If a participant puts his name and signature under a first contract, then that is of course a huge step towards a meaningful new existence in the Netherlands.