Care for Newcomers 2026: Shared care, shared strength

In this keynote speech, Bright Richards shares his personal story of fleeing the civil war in Liberia and rebuilding his life in the Netherlands. Drawing on his experiences as an artist, social entrepreneur and co-founder of New Dutch Connections, he demonstrates how human connection, trust and compassion contribute to a society in which newcomers can put their talents to good use.

Through poignant stories from his own life and from the lives of people he has worked with, Bright invites professionals to look beyond systems and procedures and to continue to see the person behind every story.

Bright O. Richards is an actor, theatre maker and co-founder of New Dutch Connections. Since arriving in the Netherlands in 1991, he has been committed to fostering a society in which newcomers are given the opportunity to develop their talents. Through theatre, education and social innovation, he creates opportunities for people to come together that foster connection, dialogue and a sense of belonging. He has received several national awards for his social and artistic work.

The European Pact on Migration, asylum legislation and the public debate are causing uncertainty about the future and are having a direct impact on the health of new arrivals. In day-to-day practice, language barriers, discrimination and exclusion also affect their access to healthcare.

In this session, we will explore how current political and social developments are affecting the provision of care for newcomers. We will discuss what you, as a care provider, can do: how can we, despite the challenges, continue to work together to uphold human dignity and ensure accessible care for everyone?

Elize Smal works as a health and migration adviser at Pharos, the centre of expertise on health inequalities. Her work focuses on the impact of migration and refugee backgrounds on health and health inequalities. What motivates Elize is contributing to equal opportunities in health. In her work at Pharos, she is committed to preventing inequalities by working towards accessible and inclusive healthcare for everyone and by ensuring that health and wellbeing are taken into account in other policy areas, such as asylum and Ukrainian refugee reception, integration, and the working and living conditions of migrant workers.

Each participant brings their own knowledge, experiences and expertise to the table. In this interactive session, we will bring these together and discuss current issues and dilemmas relating to the care of new arrivals.

Different questions or statements take centre stage in various areas of the room. You choose which discussion to join and can switch between them during the session. This brings together different experiences and perspectives, and allows us to learn from one another.

Everyone has the right to healthcare, but not everyone naturally finds their way into the mainstream healthcare system. Through the partnership between Doctors of the World and ’t Broek Omhoog, health-related activities are therefore offered in a place where people already come together for language lessons, work, socialising and other activities.

From a women’s consultation hour in the Care Bus to informative group sessions and discussions about mental health. In this workshop, the speakers will share their experiences of this outreach approach. What makes this way of working possible? What helps in the collaboration between the medical and social sectors? And what have they learnt along the way?

Melanie Lebbink is a doctor specialising in international healthcare and works for Doctors of the World and Rijnstate. She has extensive experience in maternal and child healthcare and is committed to ensuring accessible and appropriate care for people in vulnerable situations.

Karlijn Hendriks is a regional coordinator at Doctors of the World and a social worker. She is committed to fostering sustainable local partnerships and reaching out to newcomers who are not covered by the mainstream healthcare system.

Mazkeen Othman and Helen Tesfalem They are involved with ’t Broek Omhoog, a social enterprise in the Broek neighbourhood of Arnhem where social interaction, participation and connection are central. Mazkeen works there as a support worker and Helen as a volunteer.

Anna de Haan …

In this interactive workshop, we will explore the health and wellbeing of various groups of newcomer children, including children from refugee backgrounds, children from Ukraine and children of migrant workers.

We will discuss warning signs that require attention, barriers to accessing care and support, and the differences between these groups. We will also look at current developments, such as the European Pact on Migration.

Together, we will discuss what professionals themselves can do to reduce health inequalities and improve access to appropriate care and support for these children.

Anna de Haan …

During this workshop, you will take part in a powerful, experiential game in which miscommunication, culture and assumptions play a central role. In the group debrief, we will explore what participants felt, thought and did.

We will be looking at how to recognise red flags in our own reactions, the influence of unconscious assumptions, and how to broaden our range of responses in a culturally diverse context.

Michelle de Bruijn-Meijer She is a trainer, coach and facilitator, and the founder of Ruimte voor Verschil. Drawing on Deep Democracy, Holding Space and intercultural communication, she supports organisations and teams in conducting difficult conversations and creating space for diversity, dialogue and inclusion.

EKANN has been working for five years to improve healthcare for children from migrant backgrounds. Since this year, EZONN has also been focusing on adults from migrant backgrounds. In this workshop, we will share what we have learnt over the past few years and the results we have achieved. We will also present EKANN’s initial research findings.

But what is needed to make healthcare truly accessible to everyone? What challenges do we face, and where are the opportunities for improvement? Together, we will discuss these issues and explore how we can work towards a healthy future for everyone from a migrant background.

Sara Sahba is a trainee paediatrician at the Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital in Utrecht. She is a co-founder of EKANN and has been working for five years to improve healthcare for children from refugee backgrounds. Her interests lie in equality of opportunity and inclusion in healthcare.

Adriaan van den Berg is a doctor specialising in international healthcare (AIG) and has recent work experience in Sierra Leone. In the Netherlands, he focuses on equality of opportunity within the healthcare sector and works at GZA (Healthcare for Asylum Seekers) and Veilig Thuis. He is also a member of the EZONN team.

During this session, we’ll be watching the short documentary Building Bridges by filmmaker Frank Tel. The film follows newcomers to Amersfoort who are building a new life in the Netherlands and shows how encounters with volunteers, buddies and neighbours help them feel at home.

After the screening, we will discuss the significance of these stories for healthcare practice. What role can healthcare professionals play in creating an environment in which newcomers feel seen, heard and supported? And what can we learn from the power of human connection?

Frank Tel is a filmmaker, documentary-maker and owner of BusinessNews.nl. His work focuses on people and their stories. With an engaging and accessible style, he portrays social issues in a clear, personal and credible manner.

As a professional, you may find yourself in situations where policy, regulations or organisational frameworks conflict with what you, based on your professional judgement, consider necessary for a client. This can lead to moral stress, feelings of powerlessness and, ultimately, even to burnout.

In this workshop, you will discover what moral stress is, how to recognise the signs, and what strategies can help both you and your organisation to continue working professionally, with commitment and resilience.

Erika Espinola y Vázquez is a play therapist, mental health educator and prevention officer at GGNet Centre for Intercultural Mental Health Care. Drawing on her extensive experience with young people and families facing complex psychosocial and trauma-related issues, she delivers training courses for professionals in healthcare, education and the social sector.

Should we approach mental health primarily through the lens of care and treatment, or can support begin much earlier? In this workshop, we will explore how we can make the transition from specialist mental health care to accessible mental and psychosocial support (MHPSS).

What does this require of our language, our thinking and our actions? And how do we ensure that prevention, resilience and social support are not merely an afterthought, but rather the starting point? From treating people when things go wrong to supporting them before things go wrong: what does it take to truly make that shift?

Ossama Abu Amar has been working in the field of psychosocial support, mental health and empowerment for over twenty years. At Doctors of the World, he focuses on accessible MHPSS for people with a refugee or migrant background.

Eva Holtkamp She works as a media specialist at Doctors of the World and collaborates with Ossama on MHPSS. She is committed to bringing under-reported but relevant issues to the fore in the media and on the social agenda.

Anna de Haan …