“We wanted to refer people to the right organizations, but we didn’t know where to start ourselves.”
Polish Community in Terneuzen Seeks Collaboration with Expat Center Zeeland and Onbegrensd Zeeuws-Vlaanderen
Many Polish workers in Terneuzen still struggle to find the right channels to address their questions about living and working in the area. To better assist them, Kasia Kwiatek and Justyna Staszewska from Terneuzen decided to support the Polish community by guiding them to the appropriate organizations. Inspired by a group of Polish women in The Hague, who partnered with the Segbroek district, Kasia and Justyna aimed to increase their community’s self-reliance. As Kasia explains, “We wanted to refer people to the right organizations, but we didn’t know where to start ourselves.”
This changed when Kasia had a chance encounter with former economic alderman Jack Begijn this summer. “I recognized him from the newspaper and politics, so I approached him. We scheduled a meeting to explain our initiative. Jack was willing to advise us and connect us with the right people and organizations. After that, things moved quickly.” Mayor Erik van Merrienboer welcomed the initiative, and employers’ organization VNO-NCW expressed interest, planning to meet with Begijn and the initiative’s founders. Currently, Kasia, Justyna, and Jack are in discussions with Expat Center Zeeland and Onbegrensd Zeeuws-Vlaanderen to align their objectives and connect networks.
Although the first steps have been taken, a long and complex journey still lies ahead. Jack Begijn emphasizes, “Our economy cannot function without foreign workers. If we bring these people here, everything must be well-organized in terms of housing, work, education, and recreation. Expat Center Zeeland is the primary organization for this. They have the expertise and networks. The Polish community has its own network, they understand each other’s culture and speak the same language. They know where the needs are and what issues are at play. By combining this knowledge and these networks, we can all benefit.”
In addition to these discussions, the Polish community is now establishing a foundation, complete with a Chamber of Commerce number and a business account for donations. They are also working on creating a website with information and contact details. Justyna adds, “We don’t just want to refer people; we also want to organize our own themed and informational evenings. In the past, we organized events for children, and we want to continue that. The goal is to enhance social cohesion. We’re starting on a modest scale because it needs to be manageable.”
