Visscher, Hanne (2025) I feel I belong here: The role of employment and bridging connections on the sense of belonging among Ukrainian newcomers in the Netherlands. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
In recent years many newcomers from Ukraine have entered the Netherlands. In contrast to other refugees, this group of newcomers do not need to follow the integration procedure and can immediately enter the labour market. Previous research showed that employment and having contact with people from the host society (bridging connections) contribute to a sense of belonging, an important indicator of newcomers’ psychological integration. This thesis explored whether this could be replicated, with 77 newcomers from Ukraine who took part in a correlational study. The results showed that Ukrainians who reported more frequent contact with Dutch people in daily life showed higher levels of a sense of belonging. Whether they were employed or not was not directly linked to higher levels of a sense of belonging, but indirectly by more frequent contact with Dutch people. Furthermore, the majority of the employed Ukrainian newcomers had employment below their original employment level (status loss), which was linked to less job satisfaction. Zooming in on their occupational sector, many newcomers found employment in service and technical professions, whereas beforehand they were employed in other occupational sectors. Theoretical and practical implications for the integration of Ukrainian newcomers are discussed.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Hansen, N. and Gordijn, E. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Applied Social Psychology (ASP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Nov 2025 08:17 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Nov 2025 08:17 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5993 |
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