Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain
Refugees’ labor market participation lags significantly behind other immigrant groups and the Dutch population. To ensure the participation of this group, we must also focus on their mental health. José Müller-Dugic, who plans to complete his doctoral degree, agrees. February 26th at Radboud University. She developed Mosaic, a positive psychology course for refugees.
Refugees go through an incredibly stressful time. When you flee your home country and find your way in a new country, you have to deal with all kinds of stressors there as well. Despite this, little attention has been paid to the mental health of status holders. Dr Müller-Duzick said: “If we are going to address this, it is through traditional treatments that target trauma and depression, for example. It’s just as important, and much more important, to hit the mark.” What was missing until now. ”
Syrian refugees
In this project as part of her PhD, Müller-Duzic not only studied the mental health of Syrian refugees, but also developed the course “Mosaic” aimed at strengthening mental health and improving participation opportunities. Research shows that the two often work together. People who are satisfied with themselves are more likely to get a job, and conversely, doing a good job at their level makes them feel good. This course has been developed in collaboration with experienced experts and partner organizations such as the Dutch Refugee Council and Pro Persona.
Mosaic consists of six sessions, in which groups of 10 to 12 participants converse in their native language with trainers and experienced professionals. “The first session focuses primarily on what is meaningful to you and what you do to feel valuable to those around you,” Müller-Dusick says. explains.
“We then talk about our values in life, set goals for work, study, social contact and self-care, and practice building on our strengths to get a job, all of which are good for mental health.” contributes and therefore also influences how a person feels about a potential job.”
a job that suits your level
The mosaics are currently being provided to 180 refugees in six municipalities, including Arnhem and Nijmegen. “Compared to a control group, participants scored higher on mental well-being factors such as overall and emotional well-being and a sense of purpose,” Müller-Dusick says of his own research. .
“They also had significantly more confidence in their ability to find a job and find a job at their level compared to the control group, and they spent more time in internships after completing their course than the control group. These are all factors that will make your job search easier.” Find a job that matches your level. ”
Müller-Dusick said her research not only highlights the importance of paying attention to the mental health of refugees and the effectiveness of positive psychology in doing so, but also shows how much there is still to gain. He also emphasized that.
“This project has brought together organizations that don’t normally work together, which has generated many new insights. It is important that it is developed together with the target group. It will require more time and money to be invested, but it will also help us take important steps to bring this vulnerable group closer to the job market.” says Müller-Dusick.
