Stage discrimination based on skin color, last name and/or philosophy of life still occurs regularly in the Netherlands, according to the report “Experienced discrimination in the Netherlands II” (SCP, 2020). It states that one in 10 students has ever suspected they were rejected for an internship because of skin color, last name and/or philosophy of life. This suspicion is highest among students of Moroccan-Dutch background.
To combat this problem of internship discrimination, the website #KIESMIJ* was recently launched. #KIESMIJ is a campaign aimed at countering discrimination and promoting equal treatment among mbo and vmbo students looking for an internship or apprenticeship. The campaign aims to make internship discrimination more understandable and discussable. Some students who have experienced internship discrimination share their stories on the website. In addition, the site is a platform which offers students, schools and employers practical tips and tools to combat internship discrimination. It also features a handbook for schools from the Human Rights Board and e-learning modules for teachers and placement supervisors from the School and Safety Foundation. Also, the website offers a roadmap for a conversation about internship discrimination and an equal opportunity game for the classroom.
Young people hit hard in labor market
Amsterdam – Divers & Inclusive welcomes attention to the problem of internship discrimination. Indeed, young people have been particularly affected by the corona crisis because they tend to work in sectors that have been hit hard. Recent research by the UWV in cooperation with the Collaboration Organization for Vocational Education and Training Businesses (SBB) shows that the number of new WW benefits among young people grew from 42,400 last year to 89,500 this year, an increase of 111%. The largest increases are found in the labor market regions of Groot Amsterdam (240%), Zaanstreek/Waterland (168%) and Holland Rijnland (167%). It is therefore extra important that Amsterdam companies continue to provide all Amsterdam youth with adequate opportunities in the urban labor market.
As an ADI member, would you like to actively contribute by offering an internship and/or apprenticeship? Then take a moment to read the advice SME Platform Amsterdam wrote for SME internship employers in February of this year. In it, you will find tips and recommendations that will help make good internships for college and university students.