Social and Legal Counselor
As a social and legal advisor at Refugee Team, you play a vital role in helping recognized refugees find their way in their new community. You ensure that people understand their rights, have their documents in order, and get answers to their questions. Whether it’s about residency or family reunification, your knowledge and dedication provide clarity, confidence, and hope. Would you like to help status holders make a fresh start in the Netherlands? Then read on!
About Refugee Team
At Refugee Team, we firmly believe that refugees deserve a full place in Dutch society and can make a valuable contribution to our community. That is why we support their integration every step of the way—from finding a place to live to securing paid employment. Through personalized guidance, interactive workshops, and volunteer work, we work together to ensure that they can take the lead in building a future in the Netherlands. The goal is for them to be part of the community from day one.
About the role
Starting January 1, we will begin helping status holders in Zevenaar find a meaningful place in their new community. A key part of this is the social and legal support we provide them at both the individual and family levels.
Social support (MB) involves helping participants manage their personal paperwork with the goal of making them as self-reliant as possible. As a social support worker, you will assist status holders in our integration program on both an individual and group basis. In the area of legal support, you will assist status holders—including children and family members joining them later—with the legal procedures involved in all stages of the asylum process.
You play a key role at our information center, where asylum seekers can come to us with all their legal questions regarding the asylum process.
The most common topics are:
- Asylum proceedings, permanent residency, and naturalization;
- Reassessment and renewal of a residence permit;
- Family reunification;
- Assistance in dealing with the court, lawyers, the IND, embassies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc.;
- Return and departure.
You will assist status holders with various matters, ensuring that all necessary documents are gathered and submitted on time. In addition, you will inform them about the requirements, steps, and procedures, and you will collaborate with attorneys and legal advisors.
Profile
- Convinced that refugees can make a valuable contribution in the Netherlands.
- An affinity with the target group and a good understanding of the sociocultural context of status holders.
- Proactive, self-motivated, and an excellent communicator. You have a coaching-style approach.
- Experience with family reunification or similar legal procedures for refugees is preferred.
- Independent, meticulous, and capable of taking responsibility for complex cases.
- Enthusiastic and dedicated. You enjoy teaching a group (with a little patience).
We offer
- Contract for 32 to 40 hours.
- Starting salary under the Social Work Collective Bargaining Agreement, Scale 7.
- Opportunities for professional growth within a growing organization.
- A career budget and a generous individual choice budget (ICB), which you can use to purchase additional days off, among other things.
- Company phone, laptop, and travel allowance.
Interested? Please send your cover letter (max. 350 words) and your resume, with the subject line “Social and Legal Support Specialist Job Opening,” tovacatures@refugeeteam.nl by Monday, November 17, 2025. Do you have any questions about the position? Please contact Simone Hoekzema (06-45310422)
