Living in the Netherlands is a tale of opposites. This tiny country ranks incredibly highly for work-life balance, raising children, starting families, quality of life, and expat work-life.
However, moving to another country is never without its hurdles, and internationals often report feeling challenged by integration, Dutch directness, the housing crisis, and discrimination masquerading as tradition.
It’s not surprising — after all, any international will be a minority in their new country. The 39,000 to 75,000 expats estimated to be living in the Netherlands have nothing on the 17 million Dutchies who call it their home.
Time to #ShareMyVoice
But any growing country needs knowledge, including the Netherlands. Much of that knowledge is provided by migrants to boost the Dutch economy, particularly in the areas of IT, high tech, and healthcare.
Despite this, too often Dutch employers, recruiters, and citizens don’t know enough about the expats living in their country. That’s why knowledge migrants in the Netherlands are being encouraged to share their voices — ahem, we mean #ShareMyVoice.
What does it mean? Share My Voice is an independent research panel that aims to let knowledge migrants in the Netherlands have their thoughts heard.
Het Kenniscentrum Arbeidsmigranten (The Knowledge Center for Labor Migrants) is running the research panel to gain insight into expats’ opinions, feelings, and experiences.
Someone to listen to all of my deepest darkest problems? Count me in!
Why should I take part?
Okay, it’s not therapy, but it is really valuable research that can guide the future of knowledge migrants in the Netherlands. Your voice will be listened to by a panel of labour and knowledge migrants who’ll share the gained perspectives with businesses and governments.
This is a valuable (and not often given) chance to let stakeholders know what’s important to you. You’ll have a chance to share your experiences, communicate issues, and improve the experience of current and future expats in the Netherlands.
So what do you have to do to improve the lives of all the knowledge migrants who come after you (and hey, maybe even your life as well!)? It’s not a huge ask. Share My Voice are running brief surveys about a range of topics.
The first survey off the mark is housing, integration into the local environment and your perspectives for the future. Other upcoming surveys about a wide range of relevant issues will also soon be launched. And, as an added bonus, every time you complete a survey you may just win an Amazon gift card. Handy, right?
How can I take part?
We’re confident you’re overflowing with your personal thoughts and experiences of living in the Netherlands — so it’s only natural that your next question is “What do I do from here?” Well, it’s simple.
First up, head on over to www.sharemyvoice.nl. The survey is hanging out and ready to rumble when you are. Of course, all good things must come to an end — so make sure to submit your response before January 31, 2021.
Ready and raring to go? Preparing your booing, average, or glowing thoughts on the Netherlands, stretch out those clicking and typing fingers, and share your voice.
You can do it! Share your voice now
What is Het Kenniscentrum Arbeidsmigranten?Never heard that long string of Dutch words before? Het Kenniscentrum Arbeidsmigranten translates to “The Knowledge Center of Labor Migrants”. It’s an independent foundation dedicated to gaining knowledge and insights about labour and knowledge migrants. With the knowledge gained, Het Kenniscentrum Arbeidsmigranten endeavour to inform civilians, businesses, government, and other parties about knowledge migrants in the Netherlands. This could change the future — for example, by influencing housing, development opportunities, and assisting with integration into society. Nifty! |
Feature Image: Bluehub/Share My Voice via Getty Images