‘For a better future, learn Dutch’
Ukrainian refugees eager for more certainty and stability
For almost a year now, four Ukrainian refugees in a work experience position at Inholland University of Applied Sciences have been studying the living conditions of Ukrainian people. From within the Accessibility of the Law research group, associate lector Martin Blaakman and his team plus four Ukrainian researchers are studying access to basic facilities such as childcare, healthcare and housing. But what does the work experience position at Inholland mean for the researchers themselves? How do they experience the institution and what are their own personal stories? Both legal experts themselves, Alina Stepanenko and Anna Golub are particularly motivated to take part in this research.
‘I expected to be living here only for a short while, so I thought there was no need for me to learn Dutch. And I get along quite well with English in the Netherlands,' Alina Stepanenko says. The war in Ukraine made her decide to leave Ukraine for Rotterdam, with pain in her heart. The war has been going on for longer than expected, and today, one year later, she already speaks a fair bit of Dutch. 'That's what associate lector Martin Blaakman of Inholland advised me to do,’ she says. ‘If you want to find a nice job, then you should learn the language.’ If not an actual job, she has already managed to find a nice work experience position. At Inholland, together with three other Ukrainian women, she is conducting research into the living conditions of Ukrainian people in the Netherlands.
You can either wait, or build up a new life. At first I just kept waiting, but now I do both.
Who is going to pay their travel expenses?
One of those women is Anna Golub, who lives in Barendrecht with her two children and shares the house with another family. ‘That's not always easy. They don't want to stay in this country, they want to return to Ukraine and are still hoping that the war will be over soon. They are not the only ones. Many of these people find themselves in a difficult position, psychologically. And even though it is safe here, there is no stability. For example, I myself am living in Barendrecht at the moment, but it's quite possible that I'll have to move all of a sudden. This temporary housing makes you feel very uncertain, which is why people are sometimes reticent to look for a job. That is reflected in the research we are carrying out for Inholland. People really do want to work, but if that means they have to move to a completely different part of the country, there is a problem. Who is going to pay their travel expenses?’
Alina has no permanent home herself at the moment, but still she feels she has been very lucky. ‘On social media there's an international group for lawyers. After having shared my and my little daughter's location in Ukraine, I received a response from a Dutch lawyer, Astrid, within a day.’ Alina left for the Netherlands with her mother, her 17-year-old brother and her baby, who was seven months old at the time, and they lived with Astrid and her husband in Rotterdam for half a year. ‘They helped us tremendously during the first few days. They gave us the things we needed and helped us register with the municipality, take out a bank account and such things. I'm very grateful to them for offering us a safe place. We had a good night's sleep for the first time in two months, without the air-raid alarm waking us up.’ Alina worked as head of a legal department before her daughter was born. ‘Of course I'd love to have a similar kind of job, but for the time being that's not realistic, due to my lack of knowledge of the Dutch legal system and the Dutch language.’ She smiles, briefly. ‘You can either wait, or build up a new life. At first I just kept waiting, but now I do both. I'm building up a new life, but still I hope to be able to go home.’
I am a researcher, but I'm also a person who has seen the war.
I know what to say to them
For Anna, too, life in this country is quite a puzzle. She has two small children, aged three and five, and her husband is at the front in Ukraine. ‘When I arrived here I wanted to get a job straightaway, to make money. I found a post as a teacher at a Ukrainian school in Rotterdam, but if they hadn’t arranged day care for my children, I wouldn’t have been able to work at all.’ When the school closed down, somebody drew her attention to an ad for work experience positions at Inholland. ‘I worked as a lawyer back in Ukraine. The research project at Inholland into the living conditions of Ukrainian people in the Netherlands focuses on access to the law. So I was really eager to do this.’
The fact that Alina and Anna are from Ukraine themselves is a clear advantage in the research. ‘I understand the situation and the cultural differences,’ Anna explains. ‘I am a researcher, but I'm also a person who has seen the war.’ She picks up her phone, scrolls through the pictures and shows one of a beautiful apartment building. It was partly destroyed a short time ago. ‘This is where I lived for ten years.’ She is silent for a moment, swallows and goes on: ‘I want to help Ukrainian people. I know what to say to them.’
‘A perfect example of citizen science,’ Martin explains. ‘Engaging people with specific knowledge and skills that are important for our research. These Ukrainian women are in the same situation as the people they are interviewing. That creates an extra layer of trust, and it enhances the value of the interviews.’
From a well-paying job to low-paid work
A short while ago, Alina found a job via an employment agency in Zwijndrecht. She took the job in addition to her work experience position at Inholland. ‘My mother looks after my little girl, so now I am the breadwinner,’ she says, happy to be able to do this work. ‘I work as recruiter for Ukrainians who are looking for employment, and now it is even more obvious to me how important language skills are. I get to speak many highly educated Ukrainians who had good jobs at home, but practically all of them now only qualify for low-paid work because they can't speak English or Dutch.’ As an unintended advantage, her work for the employment agency generates valuable input for the research, thanks to her contacts with fellow Ukrainians.
The first part of the research project at Inholland has since been completed. In the interviews, Ukrainian people were asked about their first steps and experiences in the Netherlands, for example with regard to access to medical care and training, housing and work. ‘One thing that struck me,’ says Anna, ‘is that I see lots of differences between Ukrainians. Education, age, having a family or not – all these factors play a role. Quite a few of them don't speak English, and many are afraid and have no network. People who have experienced bombing raids in particular tend to have psychological problems.’
What these people need more than anything else, says Anna, is stability. They need access to medical aid, including psychologists. They need money to live, they need to be able to send their children to school and to get proper language classes, instead of the odd hour a week taught by volunteers. Ideally, says Anna, there should be a clear plan for refugees upon arrival, guiding them step by step and providing stability. Martin agrees. ‘There's room for improvement, no doubt about that. It's important for Ukrainians to take part in Dutch society as full citizens. We believe that our research will contribute to that, as it will also offer a range of recommendations.’
Safety is now paramount
Another factor, apart from the issue of living conditions, is that many Ukrainians have left their partners and fathers in Ukraine. ‘I would also prefer to return to the life that I used to lead.’ Alina lowers her eyes. ‘But that's not possible any more, not even when the war is over. I hope we'll eventually be able to return, but for the present safety is paramount, also for our daughter.’
Anna would prefer to stay in the Netherlands. ‘I want to give my children safety and a good education.’ She also loves Dutch culture. ‘People here are open and I have great contacts in my neighbourhood.’ Even so, uncertainty and the lack of stability also have an impact on Anna. She does not sleep well and sometimes she has difficulty getting into contact with her husband, which does not make things easier. ‘A while ago I couldn't reach him for ten days on end. But I have to be strong. For my children and for my husband. There simply is no other choice.’
Want to know more about the research and the results?
Keep an eye on our channels for more personal stories of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. Would you like to know more about the results? Read here and request the research report in English, Ukrainian or Dutch.
Please note: the research publication will be published in English, Ukrainian and Dutch soon.