The 'Samen voor Zorg' (Together for Care) project in the East Flemish city of Ghent provides newcomers with foreign (health)care qualifications the opportunity to work part-time, obtain a Flemish care qualification and to learn Dutch. The first results of the project were presented at a press conference that took place at the ‘Het Heiveld’ residential care home in Ghent on Thursday.
Pilot project in Ghent gives foreign-trained care professionals help to enter Flemish (health)care
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‘Samen voor Zorg’ kills two birds with one stone as on the one hand it addresses the persistent staff shortage in Flemish care homes, while on the other it offers untapped talent from abroad the opportunity to find work here.
Many newcomers arrive in Flanders with both qualifications and experience but face high hurdles when they try and find work. These include lengthy diploma recognition procedures for qualifications obtained in most non-EU countries, strict language requirements and a host of regulations that need to be abided by in order to work in our region’s (health)care sector.
Those that participate in the project and have a foreign qualification in nursing or medicine are able to work part-time in a residential care home while following intensive Dutch language training that is tailored to the needs of care professionals. While they are doing this they also take a fast-track course that if successfully completed will lead to them being given a Flemish nursing diploma. The project receives assistance and support from several partners in both (health)care and education.
10 participants so far
Up until now 10 people are taking part in the project. They are working part-time at 6 residential care homes. One of them is a a nurse from the Philippines. She told the press agency Belga that she had waited 4 years for her qualification to be recognised only for her recognition request to be turned down.
"Thanks to this project, I’ve now been working in this care centre for three months”, she said
During a visit to the ‘Het Heiveld’ care home on Thursday, the Flemish Minister responsible for Welfare and Integration Hilde Crevits (Christian democrat) told journalists "I think it is crucial that newcomers can use their qualifications and experience to find a job that matches their skills and ambitions”.