joceurope.org - Life stories

Life stories

"With the qualification I have you can’t go to an interim agency, so you have to rely on your own resources"

Lien Van der Meeren, 25 years, Belgium

"In 2004 I graduated as a pedagogical worker. When I finished school and started to search for a job, I realised that it isn’t because you have a qualification, that it’s easy to find a job. Though we have a good social protection system, you have to wait 9 months until you can get some support from the government.

"So first I had to do some other jobs which didn’t correspond to my qualification. Those were jobs I had to do if I wanted to earn some money and to get integrated in society. The major problem while searching for a job, is that the organisations expect you to have some experience. But if you don’t get the chance to start somewhere, you can’t get any experience.

"After some time I had the luck to find a job that matched my qualification, but still it was just to replace someone who was pregnant. It’s not easy to find a permanent job in the sector I graduated. After that I had again some jobs to fill the gap while I was searching for a job as a pedagogical worker. With the qualification I have you can’t go to an interim agency, they can’t help you there, so you have to rely on your own resources. Now I work for the YCW, so actually for the moment I can’t complain.

"We need a system that promotes solidarity"

Jack, 26 years, Belgium

"I have been living in Belgium for 18months and I work in a metal factory in Brussels, with a permanent full-time contract. I am originally from Peru and in Peru I worked in many different jobs. One was as a taxi driver for 2 and a half years, more or less 6 days a week, 15 hours per day. It was informal work, and every month for a different salary, sometimes 200 Euro per month, and at other times less. After that I had an experience of formal work in a hotel where I cleaned rooms for 6months, and worked driving taxis during the weekend. I left the work in the hotel to move to Europe.

"I came to Belgium to work and to study and to help my family because I had the chance to come here. I decided to come with the thought that the salary I could gain could help me support my family and help pay my studies.

"I searched for work for 6 months in Belgium. It was difficult, because I didn't speak the local language, but I searched through the interim agencies, personally visited workplaces to ask for work, and asked everyone I had met here to see if they could help me to find a job.

“A basic income should guarantee that people don't have to be alone"

François, 22 years, Belgium

I come from Verviers and have been unemployed for 8 and a half months. I live with my parents, and I am registered with 15 interim agencies - some in Verviers and some in Liège. The agencies help match my qualifications with jobs that are available through a computer search, but usually I'm excluded because I don't have a car, or I don't have enough experience"

My parents receive a family payment for me since I am unemployed, and from them I receive around 75 Euros per month for my personal use.

"Lack of independence is difficult, and lack of income also limits my social life. I can meet my friends and talk with them, but nothing more. I can't afford to go out because it's too expensive."