By Olivia van den Broek-Neri, Holland Expat Center South
Keeping the Non-Dutch Speaking Residents Informed about the Coronavirus
Holland Expat Center South partnered with Brainport Development to developed a portal
for the non-Dutch speaking residents of Brabant about the coronavirus outbreak in the
Netherlands. It is a joint initiative of the Municipality of Eindhoven (Holland Expat Center
South), Brainport Eindhoven, TU/e, Fontys and High Tech Campus Eindhoven, in
collaboration with Expat Spouses Initiative and Eindhoven365.
“The portal provides a perfect starting point for anyone who is looking for corona-related
information,” says Mira Dreessen, Projectmanager, Brainport Development. She helped
develop the portal together with her colleague Heather Donaldson (Project coordinator at
Brainport Development) and Olivia van den Broek-Neri (Holland Expat Center South).
“The goal is to get you started on where to find more information on several topics as
well as regional initiatives,” says Mira.
It is also important to make sure that the community is aware of the portal. To ensure
that the portal reaches as many non-Dutch speaking residents as possible, Expat
Spouses Initiative created a PEP team to work on the portal: Dilan Sarac and Katarzyna
Hejna. "We are working in a team where everyone has a different background,” says Katarzyna, “Thanks to this we can think in a broader perspective about the needs of internationals. Working on this portal I have discovered for myself how many amazing places there are to explore [in Brabant]!”
Although these times are difficult for internationals who are away from friends and family,
Dilan Sarac points out something positive that has resulted: “The pandemic showed us
how many we are,” she says. “We are not alone at all.”
Visit the portal at: www.hollandexpatcenter.com/corona-portal
Do you have a suggestion for something that should be added to the portal? Please
Send an email to: info@hollandexpatcenter.com.
Tips from the Coronal Portal for Brabant Team
“… I try to find a balance in being ambitious and dedicated at work, socially engaged
with family and friends, as well as attending my own wellbeing with moments of
relaxation.” -- Mira Dreessen, Projectmanager, Brainport Development
“These are stressful times, which is why I make it a point to unplug at different times
throughout the day. I have found that swimming and reading have helped me, and
recommend that everyone does one thing (or activity) a day to unwind. Check out the
portal for some tips and tricks!” – Olivia van den Broek-Neri, Project Coordinator
Communications & Events, Holland Expat Center South
The Holland Expat Center South office is temporarily closed, but the HECS team is still
available to answer your questions about settling into Brabant.
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