Their names are Siham, Gebril, Ibrahima, Gitana and Dieuleveut.
They are young, full of skills and potentials and experience, with the desire to use them to participate fully in Belgian social and economic life.
They have very different profiles and stories, but one thing in common: they have encountered obstacles in their job search because they are young and have an immigration background. Despite everything, they remain determined to find their place and to pursue their dreams!
Belgium has set itself an employment rate of 80% in 2030. To achieve this ambitious goal, the inclusion of young people of foreign origin in the labour market is a key lever. In 2020, the National Bank of Belgium concluded that immigration flows over the last five years had a positive impact on Belgian GDP , and that this contribution depends heavily on the opportunity given to immigrants to access the labor market. On the private sector side, the link between a company's financial performance and its commitment to diversity is now also established.
So what if we stopped depriving ourselves of this fabulous source of creative and productive energy? What if we offered all its young people prospects for the future? What if we built a tomorrow where everyone has their place, regardless of age, origin or beliefs?
We can end the structural inequalities that have persisted for decades against these young people. Listening to them is the first step towards change! For the rest of the action plan, find our recommendations in our experience report.
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Episode #1 - Ibrahima ”My name is Ibrahima, I am from Guinea Conakry, I have dreamed of doing telecommunications since childhood. ”
In this episode, Ibrahima tells of his forced departure from Guinea, his arrival in Brussels in May 2016, and his strong desire to finally realize this dream... and then, the obstacles that have arisen: How to find the path to follow? How to understand the big administrative puzzle? What can you do to exist and finally find your place?
”There were lots of things I didn't know, it's not the same system as with us... Coming directly to another country like that, you will see everything blue in front of you. You need someone to explain how it works to get out of it because it's 2 totally different worlds .”
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Episode #2 - Sihame “I realized that I was ready to accept jobs below my skill level, I just want to work and have experience...”
For Sihame, with a master's degree in his pocket and an unwavering determination, everything had to go like clockwork. And yet... In this episode, she tells us about the many obstacles that delayed her ambitions and undermined her self-confidence.
“We were told in our families: 'you have to do more than the others, you have to work more than the others'... But we didn't believe them, we were naive!”
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Episode #3 - God wants “We studied, we love this country. This is my second country, we want to participate in the development of this country in one way or another. Somewhere, we can't give what we have. ”
Forced to leave Congo, Dieuleveut had to leave behind his family, his wife and his newborn child. Full of skills, desire and energy, he must nevertheless live a painful wait to have a chance to see his wife and son again one day and build his future in Belgium.
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Episode #4 - Gitana ”The process was more difficult than I thought. I left out of the recognition of my diploma and took on the fastest job during the pandemic... It was a cleaning job. ”
With a doctorate, Gitana did not imagine that by leaving Brazil for Belgium she would have to completely reinvent herself to be able to earn a living. She recounts the difficulties of coping alone in the labyrinth of diploma recognition procedures...
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Episode #5 - Gebril Trying to find a job or training when you don't have a good command of the language of the country you live in is an obstacle course. This is what Gebril, a native of Libya, says, who must start from scratch when he arrives in Belgium.
”When I received my refugee status, I thought that the difficulties were over, but I understood that the big difficulties began after that! ”
How do you find your way through administrative meanderings? Where to look for (good) information?
