Mila Starcevic

"I find my fellow human beings more interesting than their CV. Untapped talents are often overlooked." So says Mila Starcevic, employer adviser at the Municipality of Breda. "Everyone has the right to a job. It gives people self-worth, and it also means far fewer problems in society."

Language is crucial

Mila found her way into job placement along an unusual path. What was meant to be a holiday to the Netherlands in 1992 turned into a permanent departure from her homeland, the former Yugoslavia. "The borders closed when the war broke out. There was no way back. The Netherlands became my new homeland. There was no integration programme back then. With a notebook on my lap, I watched, don't laugh, Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden (a Dutch soap opera). If I had learned five Dutch words a week and could actually use them, I allowed myself a cup of coffee at the shopping centre on Friday evening. Otherwise not. I set myself goals."

Getting a chance

For years she worked in factories as an unskilled worker, picked tomatoes, cleaned, drove a forklift. Always with a dictionary on her. Mila often worked night shifts too. That didn't stop her from turning up at the job centre in Breda every morning, often still in her work overalls, asking whether there was a suitable office job for her. "Apparently they took pity on me. That's how I got the chance of a work experience placement at the regional energy company. I needed that chance."

Preventing the revolving door

"Since 2007, I've been an employer adviser at the Employer Service Point. Our job is to bring people's untapped, hidden talents back to the surface. That's the heart of my work. Then someone starts moving, and I get in touch with the employer to create that job opening. And see whether it can lead to a job."

"Sometimes the resources we have aren't enough, or only just fall short, and that's where Everyday Heroes comes in. Everyday Heroes is incredibly good at tailored support. They start from trust and the good in people. Before I knock on their door, for example, I first have a strong relationship with the employer and with the candidate who really goes for it. I then bring all those parties together to create that lasting job. Because without sustainability, you get a revolving door effect, and that's no good to anyone."

Coffee with a former candidate

"Nothing is more fun than bumping into a former candidate who is now an employer themselves, or a classroom assistant at my children's school. Or who sends me a message when he's near the town hall. Asking if I've got time for a coffee, and then telling me that he and his loved ones are doing well. I'm proud that I get to do this. Having a job is so important. I can't stress it enough."