News item | 08-06-2022 | 17:00
Today the agreement ‘Findable and adequate supply of support for the second generation of war victims’ was signed. This will strengthen social assistance to the second generation of victims of the Second World War and its aftermath. One of the plans arising from this covenant is, for example, the design of a recognizable and easily accessible counter, where members of the second generation of war victims and healthcare workers can go with various questions.
State Secretary Van Ooijen (Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport), the Jewish Social Work Foundation (JMW), the Pelita Foundation, the ARQ Foundation and the Netherlands Veterans Institute signed the covenant and spoke with second-generation victims.
Second generation recognition
Van Ooijen: “The suffering of war continues to affect some of the second generation and this deserves recognition. They must also be able to count on appropriate non-material support in coping with this suffering.”
The signing received positive reactions from members of the second generation who entered into discussions with the State Secretary:
“This feels like an acknowledgment. My father, who was a member of the KNIL, never told us anything about the war history, but his pain is my pain,” said Max Wattimena. A client of JMW experienced the need for specific assistance for the second generation: “At JMW I learned to bend my perceptions, which were caused by the fears and traumas of my parents, to more reasonable and rational interpretations. This allows me to move on in my life.”
Findable support
The covenant consists of a number of themes. For example, a recognizable and low-threshold counter is being set up where both the second generation and healthcare workers can go with questions. In this way they can effectively become acquainted with the total specialized care offer. Moreover, the counter is a means of signaling what is going on among this generation.
Refresher training for caregivers
The knowledge regarding context-related care and the sensitivity surrounding the second generation of war victims will be shared with regular care. The effect of this is more early detection, better referral and support that more effectively meets the needs of the second generation.
Contextual care offer
Another goal included in this covenant is specific social services. This means that JMW, Pelita and NLVI continue context-related care and offer appropriate support, specifically with questions arising from the war past.
The covenant will enter into force on 1 January 2023. The concrete elaboration will take place step by step.