Buddy | september t/m january

Then become a refugee's buddy for four months. We will start a new matching round in September.

What are you going to do?

Buddy to Buddy helps refugees break out of isolation by matching committed residents to refugees. This creates friendships between people who otherwise would not have met. The Buddy to Buddy project of Welkom in Wageningen offers opportunities to get to know new people and other cultures, in a pleasant and accessible way. We do this by taking into account people's differences and helping to deal with them. As a result, in unequal situations the way can still be cleared for equal encounters.

This contact proves to be very valuable for both sides. One of our buddies says: “I am happy with the contact with my buddy. It has helped me to integrate in the Netherlands. Now when people ask me where I come from, I say Wageningen. Wageningen really feels like a home to me now.”

What does buddying mean?

• Wageningers are matched with someone with a refugee background for a period of 4 months.
• All buddies are matched simultaneously in a matching round during a matching activity f.g. a dinner. During this activity you will meet your own buddy, but also other buddy couples.
• After this matching dinner you will have weekly contact with your own buddy, but you will also have the opportunity to do activities in the city with other couples.
• During the buddy trajectory there are 3 intervision meetings. During these meetings you will have a conversation with your other buddies and you exchange experiences about contact with your buddy.
• There will be festive gathering at the end of the 4 months.

What we are looking for?

Listening skills, empathy, attention to emotions, acknowledgment of differences, willingness to bring refugees into contact with Dutch society.

What can we offer you?

During the buddy trajectory there are 3 intervision meetings. During these meetings you will have a conversation with your other buddies and you exchange experiences about contact with your buddy.

What makes the work worthwhile?

It is educational and fun to get to know each other's culture. Both the newcomer and the Wageningen buddies are enthusiastic.