Road of Hope recently participated in two Meedoen balies (Participation Desks) at Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) in Amsterdam. These events gave us the opportunity to meet residents living in asylum reception centres, introduce them to our activities, and help connect them with opportunities for participation, learning, personal development and community building.
Together, the participation desk opportunities allowed us to connect with approximately 130 people from a wide range of countries and backgrounds, with many residents signing up for Road of Hope activities in Amsterdam Nieuw-West.
What is a Meedoen balie?
A Meedoen balie, or Participation Desk, is a place where residents of COA locations can meet organisations and learn about activities, services and opportunities available to them.
For people who are new to Amsterdam and the Netherlands, finding information about language classes, community activities, education, work opportunities and support can sometimes be challenging. Participation desks help create a direct connection between newcomers and local organisations.
By bringing organisations together at COA locations, residents can ask questions, explore opportunities and discover activities that match their interests and needs. It is also an important opportunity for organisations like Road of Hope to listen directly to newcomers and better understand what they are looking for.
“We were very happy to take part in two recent Meedoen balies and meet so many people interested in becoming active, learning new skills and connecting with their new community”, said the project coordinator at Road of Hope Andreea Alexandru.
A First Step Towards New Opportunities at COA Galaxy Boat
The event took place at the MS Galaxy, one of Amsterdam’s largest reception locations for asylum seekers and status holders. Moored in the Westelijk Havengebied, the former cruise ship has been used as an emergency reception facility since 2022 and accommodates around 1,500 residents. Its population is highly diverse, bringing together people from dozens of countries who are at different stages of their journey in the Netherlands: some are still waiting for a decision on their asylum application, while others have already received a residence permit and are waiting for suitable housing.
This made the Meedoen balie a particularly valuable opportunity to meet people with very different experiences, ambitions and needs. With the support of Refugee Company, part of Road of Hope team welcomed residents and introduced them to the organisation’s work in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. “The original programme was planned to last two hours, but the response was so strong that the team decided to stay for an additional hour”, said Andreea Alexandro, a Road of Hope project coordinator. From 11:30 until 14:30, residents continued to arrive, ask questions and explore the opportunities available to them.
Throughout the afternoon, tree main projects designed to support newcomers in different areas of life were introduced: Breath of Hope that offers opportunities for personal development, helping women strengthen their confidence, discover their own potential and build connections with others; the Mothers Project, which supports newcomer mothers by creating a space where they can learn and share experiences while navigating motherhood and family life in a new cultural environment; and Entrepreneurship Project that helps newcomers explore their professional ambitions, develop their talents and take steps towards greater economic emancipation.
The conversations on the desk quickly became informal and residents shared what they were looking for and what they hoped to achieve while building a new life in the Netherlands. By listening to their individual stories, interests and ambitions, the team could help connect people with activities and projects that were relevant to their own goals.
“The response was overwhelming. During the three hours, we connected with approximately 100 people and signed up 89 participants for different Road of Hope activities and projects”, shared Andreea.
The residents met in this event represented a remarkable diversity of backgrounds and nationalities, including people from Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Palestine, Ghana, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kuwait, Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Yemen, Egypt and Somalia.
These conversations are an important reminder that every newcomer arrives with different experiences, needs and ambitions. For some, learning Dutch is the first priority. For others, finding work, building new connections or finding opportunities for personal growth is especially important.
The Meedoen balie created a space where these individual questions could be heard and where we could help people take their first steps towards opportunities available in their new city.
Meeting Residents at COA Kabelweg 21
The Participation Desk at COA Kabelweg 21 took place from 10:00 to 12:00 and brought together several organisations. Residents could visit different information points and speak directly with organisations about the activities and support available to them.
Represented by the Road of Hope founder Patricia Barendregt, Breath of Hope coordinator Andreea Alexandru and part of the volunteer team (Berta, Hatice, Yara), the foundation introduced residents to some of the Road of Hope projects in Amsterdam Nieuw-West.
“The atmosphere at COA Kabelweg 21 was different from the previous event. While it was less busy than the Galaxy Boat Meedoen balie, the location had a particularly large number of women and mothers”, noticed Andreea affirming that it was a valuable opportunity to introduce the Mothers Project and its Motherhood Across Cultures course. “One visitor told us that his wife has just had a baby, and they also have two other children. He told us that she would be very interested in the Motherhood Across Cultures course”. According to Andreea, they also shared a strong interest in personal development and language learning: “I am interested in developing myself and especially in learning Dutch.”
These conversations confirmed how important accessible community activities can be for newcomers. They provide not only practical information and learning opportunities but also a space to meet others, share experiences and build confidence.
For newcomers living in COA locations, a simple conversation can become the beginning of a new connection: joining a course, meeting new people, developing new skills, learning Dutch or discovering opportunities for the future. “The two Participation Desks also helped us better understand the diversity of experiences, interests and needs among people living in Amsterdam’s asylum reception locations”, conclude Andreea.
A warm thank you to COA and Refugee Company for their support and collaboration, and to our Road of Hope team members and volunteers who made these two participation desks possible.
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For the photos accompanying this article, the faces of residents were blurred for privacy and security reasons.