“Imagine life as a beautiful, coloured vase,” says Muller-Dugic. “If the vase breaks, you can try to repair it, throw away the shards or make something new from the shards such as a mosaic. The course aims at creating the mosaic, it facilitates participants to reshape their lives in the Netherlands.
This is necessary to help this group overcome problems with their mental health and labour market participation. Muller-Dugic: “Sometimes mental health problems are caused by war or refugee traumas, sometimes post-migration factors are involved, such as a long stay in an asylum seekers' centre and the long wait for a residence permit. This has repercussions on labour market participation: the better the person’s mental health, the greater the chance of participation. Conversely, more participation leads to better mental health. Mosaic therefore focuses on both aspects.”
Sharing experiences
The course consists of six group sessions and is taught entirely in Arabic. The common thread is sharing experiences around themes such as meaning, values, social contacts, strengths and self-care. Two trainers lead the meetings: one has a background in mental healthcare and the other is a former refugee who has found their place in Dutch society. “The course uses techniques from positive psychology,” says Muller-Dugic. “We focus on strengthening mental well-being. That fits well with the participants, for whom discussing psychological complaints is often a taboo.”
Positive influence
The course has now been given in six municipalities, including Arnhem and Nijmegen, and the results are encouraging. Beckers: “The participants are positive and say that the course suits their needs. We also have indications that their sense of having a purpose in life and participation have been positively influenced.” Muller-Dugic: “Participants have started to spend more time on an internship or other work placements and are more confident that they will find a job that matches their education level and work experience.”
Unique approach
Beckers hopes that more municipalities will want to implement Mosaic. “The approach is unique. It is unusual for such a course to be developed together with the target group and be given in their own language. In addition, we have worked closely with members of the target group and partner organisations such as VluchtelingenWerk, Pro Persona and several municipalities. Because of these unique aspects, we have been awarded an ESF Innovation prize from the European Union.” Muller-Dugic: “In addition, having concluded an independent accreditation process, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has certified that Mosaic successfully contributes to a healthy lifestyle.”
Tip: “Every night, ask yourself what you are grateful for. Even if you have had a difficult day, there has always been at least one positive event. By reflecting on this, you learn to observe positively, which contributes to your mental well-being. You will then also consciously look for more positive experiences. If you also ask yourself what you contributed to that positive event, this will also strengthen your environmental control.”
Pascal Beckers (Cologne, 1981) is associate professor of urban planning and human geography at Radboud University. He studied economics and international management at Maastricht University, where he also earned his PhD in 2011 from the Graduate School of Governance. He coordinates the Radboud University Network on Migrant Inclusion (RUNOMI), a university-wide network of scientists who specialise in migration and integration issues.
José Muller-Dugic (Coevorden, 1986) studied clinical psychology and social geography at Radboud University, specialising in migration, globalisation and development. As a PhD researcher she developed Mosaic, coordinated its implementation and evaluated its effect.