A new trial for a buddy system programme in Groningen is set to start in September, two organisations have announced.
Humanitas Groningen, a volunteer organisation helping people in a plethora of different aspects, and Buddy to Buddy, a programme for immigrants and locals, will launch a new project to match immigrants and refugees with locals based on interests. The main goal is for them to get to know each other and to expand their network.
The initiative came from locals together with Humanitas. The Buddy to Buddy programme has already been successful in many other municipalities around the Netherlands. The project leaders see a positive change as besides professional help there’s also a need for genuine, equal contact, and opportunities for people to understand each other better, making it beneficial and enriching for both sides. A lot of people might also want to welcome others into their world but don’t know how.
Making contact might seem easy, but that’s not always the case. A lot of newcomers live isolated lives, even after their official integration. They want to be in contact with Dutch people but aren’t sure how to do so. Van der Hulst says that one person can eventually open up our society and be very valuable to people trying to build a new life in Groningen.
“In the 18 municipalities where Buddy to Buddy is already active, there are amazing results from buddies simply by getting to know each other, finding out the stories behind the other person, and enriching each other’s worlds,” he said. He thinks that this also goes both ways and says that they’ll start matching the first buddies in Groningen this year.Â
The goal of Buddy to Buddy is to get refugees out of their isolation and make the involvement of locals in Groningen bigger when it comes to helping refugees out.
The plan is to start the first matching rounds this autumn where about 50 people can participate. Everyone can become a buddy, regardless of their age. You can even sign up as a family. Buddies are matched by interests and choose to be in contact every week for a period of 4 months. Besides the one-on-one contact with your buddy, you become part of the buddy community with other buddies.Â
Buddy to Buddy organises group activities where everyone can meet each other, and have fun. Besides this, there’s also counselling in the form of buddy talks where there’s room to share your experiences. There will be a celebration at the end of the four-month period, after which you might have found yourself a friend for life.
If you want to sign up as a buddy for the first matching round, you can sign up on the project website or go to the information evening on the 2nd of October at 19:30. More info about this can be found on the website as well. If you want to help the initiative in a different way you can email groningen@buddytobuddy.nl.
My Local Friend
A similar programme, My Local Friend, connects internationals in Groningen who speak at least level A2 Dutch with locals who can help them practice their language skills. The programme also helps facilitate social connections between newcomers and people who’ve lived in the city for a longer time. The programme was started back in 2017 by City Central, an entity which has since merged with the International Welcome Center North (IWCN). The IWCN still keeps the programme running. New intakes will be accepted again from September 8, after the summer break.
