From monuments to people: Elnaz finds her place in social work

Elnaz Heidarpour works at UB Works, where she supports refugees with residence permits. Her path to this job and building a new life in the Netherlands was anything but easy. “I have a contract now. That feels like a victory.”

Elnaz is from Iran. There, she studied at the art and architecture university, specializing in the restoration of historical monuments. “My work was about design, renovation, and cultural projects. Very different from what I do now.”

When she came to the Netherlands with her husband, her life changed drastically. “In the Netherlands, my marriage quickly fell apart. I had no papers, no money, no home. I sometimes slept at an acquaintance's in Delft, but that wasn't always possible due to the rules for a residence permit.” After a difficult period in a homeless shelter, Elnaz – with the help of a good lawyer – received her residence permit.

A roof over her head
Slowly, the basics were put in order: a roof over her head, money to buy groceries. Now for the job. “I applied for a lot of different things. Sometimes I was too old, sometimes the employment conditions were too bad. Or I seemed to have found a job, but it fell through at the last minute.”

The biggest challenge? “The language, of course. But also finding work that matches my experience. In architecture, the rules are different in every country. I needed extra training, but I couldn't handle that at the time.” Still, she took steps. “The lessons and courses of the civic integration program really helped me. And also the people from Werkse! They guided me well. They understood me and were patient.

Explain the rules
She found volunteer work herself as a social worker at the language school. She helped people with translations and explaining the rules. “I was happy that I could help people. Sometimes the rules in the Netherlands change and people don't know what to do. I could explain to them what was going on and give advice.”

Then she got the opportunity to intern at UB Works. “It’s ironic, really,” she laughs, “I got to guide others to work, while I hadn’t managed to find a job myself yet.” She uses many new skills in her work. “I learned about Dutch laws and civil rights. I understand the work culture here better now.” An important moment on her path to employment: she discovered her passion for social work. “I want to help people; that makes me happy.” And after a successful internship, she now has a contract and is officially employed. “I feel useful and independent. I am proud that I have adapted to my new life.”

Work is different from status
And her dreams regarding work? “I want to do my job well. Maybe later I will start my own social services company or a creative brand in my old field. I don't know exactly what it will be yet.”

Based on her own experiences, Elnaz wants to pass on something important to other status holders: “In the Netherlands, work is different from status. Ask questions, be honest. In our countries, we are sometimes afraid of the government, but here you are allowed to work with your contact person. That really helps!”