We Are Not Alone

When the Corona pandemic impacted the region in 2020, many programmes and events came to a sudden halt. During this time, the international community in particular, were struggling to process important Covid-19 information which impacted their living status and job security in the Netherlands. There was a concern building between the information being released and the translated versions being made available to the non-Dutch speaking population.

In amidst the panic, Holland Expat Center South began working with organizations in the Brabant region in an effort towards making the information readily available. HECS wanted to create a digital resource space where non-Dutch speaking communities could go for timely information, and this eventually led to the formation and launch of the Corona Portal. The Corona Portal provided the community with a library of resources, translated content, and useful links sourced from official government and verified websites.

At a time where Covid-19 measures were causing isolation and uncertainty, a sense of community and support was becoming more necessary and more important to combat loneliness and separation in the region. Expat Spouses Initiative, one of the partners of the Corona Portal, also showed support by facilitating conversations and creating initiatives that would help strengthen the community spirit between the internationals and the local Dutch population. Holland Expat Center and Expat Spouses Initiative worked together to develop this idea further and launched a campaign called - We Are Not Alone.

We Are Not Alone, shone a spotlight on the extraordinary individuals from the international community and provided inspirational stories of their journey so far. We Are Not Alone, also provided an expert talk series which featured useful insights and conversations into Dutch society with leading (Dutch) experts from different fields. The campaign also highlighted key company collaborations taking place and exciting opportunities made available for internationals in the same area.

The We Are Not Alone campaign, launched in 2020, merged into a new platform and became the: We Are Not Alone newsletter. The newsletter extends itself from the original concept of the Corona Portal but remains true to its mission of serving the international community.

The newsletter has many goals: to help the international communities become more visible and to improve the visibility of the opportunities and information that are available to them.

The newsletter provides an opportunity for everyone to be part of an ecosystem of companies and community organizations collaborating and demonstrating their support for each other and the internationals living in the region.

We are not alone - is for everyone to support. Show us your support by subscribing to our newsletter here and become part of a bigger community.

We Are Not Alone is part of the Living In Program.