The Municipality of The Hague is to launch the Perspectywa programme, to help deprived, unemployed and homeless migrants from Eastern Europe rebuild their lives back home. Perspektywa, Polish for perspective, is a voluntary measure designed to target those that have fallen through the welfare gap.

Far from home, with little to no community or family support, those who fail to make it in the Netherlands can suffer a "life of destitution and poverty." In The Hague alone, there are an estimated 150-200 Eastern Europeans with "no viable future or prospects."

In collaboration with the Barka Foundation and Stichting Den Haag & Midden-Europa (IDHEM), the Municipality of The Hague will offer temporary shelter for vulnerable East-Europeans, and arrange a support package in their home country. Such support is likely to include support in finding training or work, medical care and accommodation.

Deputy Mayor Marnix Norder (Urban Development, Public Housing and Integration), remarked that such immigrants were not good for the city, and were in a lose-lose situation: "Nuisance should be kept to a minimum. This means that immigrants in a dead-end situation with no work, income, housing or future in The Hague will be given assistance to return to their country of origin. Perspektywa provides a concrete action plan."

However, to those immigrants who are economically independent and engaged positively in the community, the Deputy Mayor stressed that The Hague would welcome and support them.

"The Hague would like to give the fast-growing group of European migrant workers a good place in the city. This means that a number of things have to be in order, including housing and language. We will also work towards integrating this group within one generation. Children of immigrants should have the same chances as Dutch children to earn a diploma and find work."

Source: Municipality of The Hague