Theme evening on housing for migrant workers

The theme evening on Migrant Housing, organized by a municipality in the Duin- en bollenstreek, made it clear that labor migrants are desperately needed in the Dutch economy. Flexible Human Services and some of its clients had their say. They explained why migrant workers are indispensable in their companies, and why solutions for housing these employees need to be considered.

Not in my backyard

The 'Not-In-My-Backyard' principle often applies to the housing of migrant workers: people don't want to be bothered by the housing of migrant workers, but they do reap the benefits of their arrival – often without even knowing it. It is migrant workers who pack the peeled carrots we cook with in the evening, who plant the hyacinth bulbs that we like to bring into our homes in the spring, and who pack the packages when we shop online.

Inconspicuous

For the consumer, it is not clear that these actions are performed by human hands, and whose hands they are. That is why it is so good to pay more attention to the role of the migrant worker. This gives those hands a face, and it becomes clear that those who pack the carrots, plant hyacinths, and send packages also need to live somewhere!