Contact - Ukraine
I'm in Hilversum
Work
We have a working group dealing with employment issues.
You can start applying for a job after you have obtained a BSN and opened a bank account. See information below for job search recommendations.
In addition, we recommend that you fill out this form to make it easier for us to find you a job, housing, etc.
School
Group 6 is involved in helping to place children in schools.
Junior schools (4-12 years old) - no centralized solution yet. The mayor's office is negotiating with the school for new arrivals (https://www.taalschoolhilversum.nl/), who are trying to organize additional classrooms.
Secondary schools (12+ years) - the school in Laren www.iskhetgooi.nl is recruiting everyone in new classes. Classes will be created for Ukrainian children, teaching is mainly focused on Dutch and English. To enroll, you need to fill out a questionnaire and send it to the school with a copy of the child's passport and registration documents at the mayor's office. We posted the questionnaire and relevant information in the telegram chat (https://t.me/UkrainiansInHilversum)
For more details, see below, in the section about schools.
Education for children
You have two options:
Continue learning on Ukrainian platforms
Send your child to a Dutch school
Our advice: choose the second option. Its advantages:
The child will plunge into the atmosphere of the Dutch society, and he will remember this experience for the rest of his life when he returns to Ukraine
He will naturally learn Dutch and English
He will play and communicate with peers, which is very difficult to achieve if he continues to study on Ukrainian platforms
Yes, you risk missing one year, but the experience of Dutch culture is definitely worth it.
A more detailed description of the Ukrainian platforms and the Dutch school system is given in the part "Brief description of the school system in Holland".
Brief description of the school system in Holland
(author - Alexandra Zhernakova, if you have any questions, write to sasha.zhernakova@gmail.com):
In Holland, schools are divided into junior (basisschool) and secondary (middelbareschool). Children from 4 to 12 years old study in elementary schools. The first two years (ages 4-5) the school is more like a kindergarten, children sculpt, draw and play together. Most schools teaching reading and writing begins with the third grade (6 years). Junior schools are almost always located in a separate building, not in the same place as high schools.
If a child comes from another country at the age of 4-5 years, he is quite often taken to a regular Dutch school. From the age of six, children usually go to a special language school for a few months or a year, where they learn the language almost all the time, and a few other subjects. After that, the children go to regular schools. There are exceptions - the school may decide to take the child immediately to the regular class by agreement.
According to Google, there are 44 elementary schools in Hilversum (https://scholenopdekaart.nl/zoeken/basisscholen?zoektermen=Hilversum&weergave=Kaart). Most of them are public, but there are also Catholic, Protestant, Montessori, Jena Plan and others.
High schools are divided into several levels, depending on the recommendation from the junior school, and the results of the tests that the child takes at 11 years old. Globally, in the Netherlands there are three levels of education in high school: 1. Gymnasium / athenaeum (VWO), in which they study for 6 years (ages 12-18), after which you can go to university. 2. HAVO, in which they study for 5 years (age 12-17), after which they can enter technical schools and institutes. 3. VMBO, where students study for 4 years (ages 12-16), is a more basic education, after which you can go to vocational schools.
Almost all junior and secondary schools in Holland are free of charge, except for a small fee for excursions and incidental expenses. Several junior schools in Hilversum have a supplement for additional subjects.
In general, the level of education in elementary school is usually less serious than at the same age in Ukraine, but starting from secondary school, on the contrary, there is an intensive program in different languages, sciences, and so on. Accordingly, it seems to me much easier to join the junior school than the middle school.
In addition to the Dutch schools, there is also an international school in Hilversum where teaching is in English. This school is usually attended by children of expats who are not going to stay in Holland (for example, they came to work for a year or two), or have studied before
in English. Unlike Dutch schools, education in an international school is paid and quite expensive.
I see the advantages in sending children, especially the younger ones, to a Dutch school - where they can communicate with their peers, gain new experience, and learn the Dutch language. However, given the difference in school curricula, most likely, children will fall behind the current school curriculum, even if they go to a class by age, this is due to a significant difference in programs, textbooks and methods.
Here is a little more detail about schools in Holland - https://livinginholland.blog/faq-basis/?fbclid=IwAR1Ab1pek-8b-kqvbal2_rtRAyTaYMhnvsTD1uOrCazcYYI0uSHV2u1bubI
Update on schools for March 30:
Junior schools (4-12 years old) - no centralized solution yet. The mayor's office is negotiating with the school for new arrivals (https://www.taalschoolhilversum.nl/), who are trying to organize additional classrooms. As soon as there is new information, we will update.
Secondary schools (12+ years) - the school in Laren www.iskhetgooi.nl is recruiting everyone in new classes. Classes will be created for Ukrainian children, teaching is mainly aimed at Dutch and English language.
To enroll, you need to fill out a questionnaire and send it to the school with a copy of the child's passport and registration documents at the mayor's office. We posted the questionnaire and relevant information in the telegram chat (https://t.me/UkrainiansInHilversum)
Bicycles
Bicycles are a part of Dutch culture. They are more popular here than cars.
Rental
We have about 20 bikes available for rent from the workshop behind the Centre.
The rental is open from 9:00 till 17:00. But you can return the bikes later. If the workshop is closed, throw the keys under its door.
Please return the keys during the day so that other refugees can use them. If you delay returning the key, we will disconnect you from the service for 3 days. In case of a malicious violation of the regime, you will be blacklisted.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS to work in the workshop and rental shop. So do you want to help? That would be great!
Route planners for public transport
To get directions on public transport in the Netherlands, you can use the application 9292 (available as an application for iOS / Android) - www.9292.nl where you can specify the point of departure and destination, as well as select the time of departure / arrival.
Dutch Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen - www.ns.nl) have their own scheduler also available for iOS/Android (plus on their website). Announcements about train cancellations, changes in the schedule and routine maintenance are also published there.
Very good route planner in Google Maps.
Registration BSN number
BSN registration is needed for legal stay in Holland, in order to open an account to receive money from the state, insurance and work.
You can fill out the questionnaire in the center in the right wing behind the glass partition
It runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 till 13:00 (sometimes later).
To do this, you need a passport, internal passport or residence permit (for non-citizens of Ukraine). (yes, you don’t need to go to The Hague if you don’t have a passport).
If you only have a photo of the residence permit, this is not good enough yet, but perhaps this will be resolved.
If you are a non-citizen of Ukraine and you DO NOT have a residence permit, you should contact the IND. But as of today (Mar 31) they are not yet ready to receive you, and have asked for a few days to work out the rules.
If you speak English at an intermediate to advanced level:
- prepare a resume and send it for review and distribution to careerosofia@gmail.com
We will review your resume and provide feedback.
- register and create a profile on the Linked.In site
- follow and apply for jobs on LinkedIn (you can subscribe), as well as on the following sites:
www.indeed.com
www.glassdoor.com
Get the job done 🔥 (youngcapital.nl) (beginner)
- other interesting programs from companies (we will update):
https://www.werkenbijabnamro.nl/en/het-reboot-programma (internship at ABN AMRO bank)
- a platform for interview preparation
MigratePro (super.site)
If you don't speak English or speak at an elementary level:
1) Watch for announcements and group interviews in the center - we invite employers who are willing to consider employees with no knowledge of the language (or with basic knowledge) and organize translation
2) Apply for jobs on these sites (often they only require a basic level of language):
Randstad: the employment agency with jobs & vacancies for everyone | Randstad
Oferty pracy produkcja i logistyka - Agencja Zatrudnienia Covebo
Register for seasonal jobs 2022 (level1.nl)
https://verbeekuitzendbureau.com/pl/ (agricultural work, seasonal)
We will think about how we can help you apply for positions
Information from the Vrijwilligers Job Search Group:
KEY STEPS:
1) Fill out the application form so we can find you
2) Follow the announcements - we conduct group interviews with employers in the center, and also talk about job search channels in the Netherlands
3) Check your email - information about existing vacancies in your specialty can go there
4) Ask your questions in the HELP TO UKRAINES telegram channel
NB: For safety's sake, never pay people who offer you a job for money! Do not give your passport or other documents to your employer.
Insurance
When you are employed, you must take out health insurance.
Here you can compare and choose an insurance:
Compare health insurance 2022 Independer: the paid
Depending on income, insurance costs can be reimbursed (in whole or in part) based on the results of the taxable period - information about reimbursement and a reimbursement calculator can be found on this page:
I am coming to live or work in the Netherlands. When do I have to take out compulsory health insurance? † Government.nl
We will update the insurance section as more information becomes available.
