Working whilst receiving benefits

You will find more information on the page Reporting changes for social benefits.

We can help you to find a job

You are receiving benefits and want to return to work? Do you no longer have the right work experience? The local authority helps you with the ‘Vizier op Werk’ (view of work) pathway.

Vizier op Werk helps you prepare for a new job. We will look at what you need. The programme can last from a few weeks to up to a few months.

• We start by considering what suits you best and where jobs are available.
• You learn about what is needed if you become an employee.
• You learn about what you need for the job you want to apply for.
• You are given job application training.
• You are given a short course on financial management.

Is Vizier op Werk right for you?

• You want to find a job.
• You can understand, speak and write in Dutch.
• You are able to use the internet and email.

Registering for Vizier op Werk

Get in touch with your contact at the City of Leeuwarden.

No contact at the City of Leeuwarden? Contact the City of Leeuwarden or drop by at your local Community Centre.

Do you find working too big a step?

Would you like to find a job, but find it a big step? Talk to your contact at the local authority about the alternatives.

Use our LeeuwardenWerkt! app to find a job.

Finding a job can be hard. That is why there is an app with job vacancies. You can use this app to receive daily:

• information about vacancies
• information about training courses
• information about meetings
• tips for finding a new job

Do you want to use this app? Download the LeeuwardenWerkt! app to your phone or tablet from the Play Store of App Store.

Do you feel that paid work is not feasible for you at the moment? If so, voluntary work could be just the thing for you.

Are you receiving benefits?

Ask for prior permission to volunteer.

Important rules

• The voluntary work must not replace a paid job.
• You are not permitted to do voluntary work for a profit-making organisation.
• If you do voluntary work, you are still obliged to follow the rules that come with your benefit. That includes cooperating with civic reintegration.

Advantages of voluntary work

Voluntary work is a good way to:

• gain work experience;
• meet new people;
• learn new things.

More information about volunteer work?

• You will find more information on the SamenLeeuwarden website. Here you will find vacancies for voluntary work.
• Are you receiving benefits from the City of Leeuwarden? And have you been doing voluntary work in your neighbourhood, district or area for a year or more? You may be entitled to a payment. You will find more information on the page Extra money for voluntary work and benefit (participation premium).

Enclose your CV with your letter of application. In a CV, you provide brief information about yourself and your experience of voluntary or paid work. It is important to choose the layout that suits you best. A CV is the first thing a company sees about you. There is plenty of information about writing a good CV online. Some examples:

• What to include in a CV
• What a CV should look like

Tips for writing a letter of application and CV

• Avoid writing errors. Ask someone to proofread your letter and CV before you send the application.
• Use one font only.
• Adapt your CV to the job you are applying for. For example, have you done any work similar to the job you are applying for? If so, do not mention any holiday jobs you have had in your letter and CV.
• Make a PDF file of your letter and CV. Formatting is retained better and more neatly in a PDF file than in a Word file.
• Save your CV as follows: ‘CV_First name-Surname.pdf’. This looks professional and it easy to find your CV.

Free CV generator

You can write a good CV using the website CV Template. It is easy to do, looks good and produces your CV straight away.

Do you need to have followed a study programme or have a diploma or certificate for your new job?

Do you need extra training or a certificate for a job? You can usually obtain these qualifications through a short study programme, training programme or course. This could be a first aid certificate, forklift truck certificate or taxi pass. Short courses are available to see if you are suitable for the job you are looking for, or for the job you already have. Some professions definitely require you to have followed a certain study programme for the job. For other professions, you do not necessarily need to do a training course, but taking one will improve your chances of getting a job. You are not eligible for student allowance for a short training programme, education programme or course. Usually, you have to pay the costs yourself. In some cases, someone else contributes. That could be your employer, the UWV Employment Agency, the local authority or your health insurer. Carefully check the costs before embarking on an education or training course.

Student allowance

For a longer study programme you may be eligible for student allowance. Are you under 56 years of age? You may be able to borrow money for a course of studies. This is called the ‘Levenlanglerenkrediet’ (lifelong learning credit). You will find more information about the conditions, how much you can borrow and repayments on the DUO website. You can also make an application on the website.

Frisian education programmes

For more information about the education programmes available in Friesland, see the website Fryslânwerkt.

Work-study programmes

You can follow work-study programmes with the Beroeps Begeleidende Leerweg (Supervised occupational learning pathway (BBL)).

• You work more than you are at school. That means you learn mainly in practice.
• You go to college for one or two days a week. You work on the other days. That means you have less contact with fellow students and more with colleagues.
• You can only do BBL training if your employer is an official training company.
• You usually receive a salary from your employer and are not entitled to student grant or a public transport pass.
• Some employers offer travel expenses.

Do you want to do BBL training? If so, you will need a work placement with an employer. You will find more information on the following websites:

• BBL ROC Friese Poort
• BBL Friesland College
• BBL Aeres 
• Bewust BBL

Being ill or having a disability could make it hard to find a job. Perhaps because you cannot work as quickly as others or because you need extra help. The City of Leeuwarden is keen for employers to employ people with occupational disabilities. Employers can apply to the local authority for a subsidy. We call this a ‘wage cost subsidy’. More information for employers and employees on this subject is available on the page Wage cost subsidies.

Get in touch with your contact at the City of Leeuwarden.

No contact at the City of Leeuwarden?

Contact the City of Leeuwarden or drop by at your local Community Centre.