A Decade of Support: Celebrating 10 Years of IWCN

In November 2024, the International Welcome Center North (IWCN) celebrates a significant milestone—10 years of dedicated service to the international community in the Northern Netherlands. Over the past decade, the IWCN has evolved into a vital resource for expats, students, and international professionals transitioning to life in the provinces of Groningen, Fryslân, and Drenthe. This anniversary is a celebration of the community we’ve built and our commitment to make the North a welcoming place for everyone.

From Roots to Impact – The History of the IWCN

While the IWCN celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, our journey began long before 2014. The mission to create a welcoming environment for internationals in the Northern Netherlands started in 1995 with International Club Noord-Nederland and Connect International, which formed the new Connect International Foundation in 1998.

The Connect International Foundation catered to the social and informational needs of foreign residents in the northern regions through personal advice services, events, intercultural training, and relocation services. In 1999, the Connect International Foundation gained significant backing from the NOM (Noordelijke Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij – Northern Netherlands Development Agency) and the Municipality of Groningen when they began to financially contribute to its efforts.

By 2003, support expanded further as three provinces began funding the initiative through SNN (Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland – Northern Netherlands Provinces Alliance). It was clear at this point that this type of support for internationals and companies wanting to internationalize was needed for the Northern Netherlands. With the support of Gemeente Groningen (and its Wethouders), the knowledge institutes, NOM, IND, and several Northern Dutch municipalities, a project team was established to plan the development of a Welcome Center in the North.

In 2012, funding from a variety of stakeholders—including GasTerra, ABN AMRO Bank, NOM, and the provinces of Groningen, Fryslân, and Drenthe—set the stage for what would become the IWCN. With this support, the IWCN officially opened its doors in 2014, turning our mission to serve internationals in the region into a reality.

In 2016, het Akkoord van Groningen (Groningen Alliance) launched the City Central project to help international students to integrate with initiatives like My Local Friend, FietsFriend, and Welcome Walks. As their audience grew beyond students, and more internationals and locals got involved, the project demonstrated the need and value it added to the city of Groningen.

Last year, in 2023, the Connect International Foundation, City Central, and IWCN officially joined forces under the IWCN name, bringing together years of experience and resources under one roof. With Dutch language support, business workshops, social events for all ages, and more, IWCN is truly the one-stop shop for all the formal and lifestyle needs of talent from abroad, their families, students, and employers that make the North a great place to live, work, and grow.

Supporting Local Organizations

Our work extends to supporting local organizations in their efforts to attract and retain international talent. We believe that diversity drives success, and that organizations thrive when they embrace a mix of cultures and we actively promote this mindset in the North. We work with organizations to demonstrate the value international talent is adding to their companies and walk them through the process of hiring them. In the last 10 years, we have helped over 440 organizations in hiring international talent.

Additionally, we partner with local Dutch businesses to expand their reach to our international community by becoming IWCN service providers. Each service provider is carefully vetted to ensure they offer high-quality and internationally friendly services. Through this collaboration, these businesses gain visibility and access to a new audience, fostering mutual growth and opportunities. We currently have 28  service providers in fields such as healthcare to finance and housing.

Why We Do What We Do

The IWCN’s purpose is to ensure that internationals feel at home in the North as quickly and as smoothly as possible. From adapting to a different culture to finding a sense of community, moving to a new country comes with a unique set of challenges. Just in the past few years, we have faced turbulent changes such as Brexit, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine which all have deeply affected internationals living in and moving to the Netherlands.

As soon as the United Kingdom officially left the European Union, the IWCN helped over a thousand Brits in the North weather the uncertain changing residency requirements throughout 2020, 2021, and 2022.

When the global pandemic hit, our visitors were no longer able to walk into the office with their questions. In response, we set up an online chat service to keep our information and services readily available. In addition, we hosted several social and informative events online and, when the guidelines allowed it, outside of the office.

And when the war in Ukraine started, Ukrainians and the rest of Europe had to face the still ongoing aftermath of a quickly changing conflict. Volunteers helped us translate information and guides into Ukrainian and Russian to keep the information readily available for Ukrainians finding refuge here.

Together with the Ukrainian embassy and consulates, and with the help of Ukrainians who are already living in the Netherlands, we hosted events attended by thousands of Ukrainians who needed help with travel documentation, passport stickers, finding housing, and finding work opportunities. We also created a special Welcome Guide in Ukrainian to help them set up life as smoothly and as quickly as possible in the North.

At the IWCN, we aim to ease these types of transitions by offering services that go beyond practical support. Our resilience and dedication is a result of the wonderful team behind the IWCN. We don’t just preach about embracing an international mindset, we also fully practice it. The team at IWCN consists of team members living in all three Northern provinces hailing from all over the world from Fryslân to Finland, from Colombia to Indonesia, and from Romania to New England. An entire team of people who chose to stay in the beautiful North.

10 Years of Impact

We could not have reached this milestone without the support of our dedicated stakeholders, founders, volunteers, and our incredible team. Their unwavering commitment has allowed us to expand our services, deepen our impact, and ensure that every international who walks through our doors feels seen and supported. Our partners have been instrumental in providing the foundation on which IWCN stands today.

“My hope for the future is that The North continues on its international path, integrating internationals and locals while choosing to keep what is unique about the Netherlands but incorporating new ideas from internationals, for the betterment of all.”

Karen Prowse, Operations Manager

 

Looking ahead, we remain committed to our mission of fostering an inclusive and vibrant community in the North. The next decade will undoubtedly bring new challenges, especially with the current uncertain political climate. As policies shift, internationals and locals will be confronted with new obstacles making our role more relevant than ever. With the support of our partners and community, we are ready to continue welcoming internationals to our special corner of the Netherlands.