A project in the City of Utrecht, in the West Netherlands is offering an innovative approach to integrating asylum seekers into urban communities. The U-RLP project has developed a shared space with housing for local young residents next to an asylum centre, along with personal and professional development programmes for both asylum seekers and neighbourhood residents.
Plan Einstein (U-RLP): a refugee reception facility connected to its neighbourhood
- 11 January 2019
The experience of living, learning and developing together creates a shared social capital between newcomers and residents to launch social change and provide new work opportunities. People drew strength, inspiration and courage from the many meaningful encounters.
U-RLP has facilitated meaningful encounters between locals and asylum seekers that have resulted in less fear and better understanding of each other. The inclusive approach has also had a positive impact on the personal development of participants and their sense of wellbeing.
A win-win solution
Known locally as Plan Einstein, the project was first developed by Utrecht and its project partners to address local concerns when the municipality decided to install a refugee reception centre in the district of Overvecht. The district had a high demand for housing and many residents on low incomes. U-RLP offered a way to improve mutual understanding, provide temporary housing and promote professional development and unlock professional networks for residents and asylum seekers alike.
The centre is on Einsteindreef, a residential road that provides the project’s local name. Young Dutch people moved in from the project’s beginning in November 2016, while the refugees arrived over the first half of 2017 as the state reception facilities were finalised.
The project works on a principle of ‘Activation from Day 1’, with opportunities for people to mix from the start. In addition, the action has offered business English and international entrepreneurship courses, individual coaching and professional development events.
Creating a community has been central to the project’s success. An open day in September 2017 attracted 600 attendees, both refugees and local residents. Spontaneous social initiatives have sprung from the project, such as a community radio station ‘Radio Einstein’. Meanwhile, local people have started businesses following the entrepreneurship training, refugees started volunteering in the city and other locals and refugees have taken their studies further.
Integration example
The project illustrates Utrecht’s wider refugee integration approach, in which volunteers and professionals work together in consultation with stakeholders. Formal partners in U-RLP are the Dutch Council for Refugees, SOCIUS (youth housing) and the Social Impact Factory, the Utrecht Centre for Entrepreneurship, Volksuniversiteit Utrecht, Roehampton University and Oxford University.
U-RLP’s integration model has now been adopted by the Dutch government. The project was also presented to representatives of other local authorities at the EUROCITIES Social Affairs Forum in March 2018 as an example of how to develop social cohesion.
With the lease of the building ending in November 2018, project partners are currently applying the lessons learned to Plan Einstein Hayden, the central reception facility in the City of Utrecht. More widely, they intend to integrate lessons learned into the City of Utrecht’s migration policy and continue to share these with other cities or organisations.
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EuronewsRoad trip projectTotal investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “U-RLP Utrecht Refugee Launch Pad” is EUR 2 778 313, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 2 778 313 through the “Urban Innovative Actions” initiative for the 2014-2020 programming period.