What is Cocktail?
Cocktail Limburg is a so-called ‘buddy project’ by COC Limburg for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex refugees.
In many countries, LGBTQIA+ people are still being threatened, and discriminated against. Many countries even have punishments ranging from prison time and bodily punishments to even capital punishment for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. This is often an important reason for people to flee to a safer country where they can be who they want to be.
Within the Netherlands it’s not always easy eather; both within the refugee centres as well as outside of LGBTQIA+ people are still not always being accepted by their peers, which can lead to further stress and feelings of loneliness and depression. Sometimes (physical) threats are also part of the issues LGBTI refugees face.
What does Cocktail want?
- Cocktail aims to break the social isolation of LGBTQIA+ refugees, and to help them with a safe introduction into Dutch society.
- Cocktail wants to help with improving the safety of LGBTQIA+ refugees, as well as improving their living environment.
What does Cocktail do?
Activities
Cocktail regularly organises various events and activities to help create a social network as well as individual contacts between the various LGBTQIA+ refugees, while also helping them integrate with the Dutch LGBTQIA+ community. These meetings are private, only meant for the LGBTQIA+ refugees to guarantee them a safe space. Others can be invited by the coordinator, or the board member responsible for the bicultural LGBTQIA+ workgroups.
Cooperation
Cocktail is run entirely by volunteers, and to achieve its goals, Cocktail aims to have productive and positive relationships with other refugee and migrant organisations as well as other assistance-providing organisations.
Further information
In order to ensure the necessary quality that is needed to provide adequate help, every volunteer at Cocktail will be screened for motivation, compatibility, and reliability. To ensure knowledgeability, various lectures and courses will be organised for the volunteers, with regular intervision and evaluation sessions.
Cocktail does NOT provide legal, medical, psychological, or financial aid. However, where necessary we’ll try to refer you to the proper organisations that can provide help.
Joining in Cocktail activities is free of charge. Visitors to Cocktail events will be provided with a limited amount of free refreshments at our events.
Contact
Do you know an LGBTQIA+ refugee / asylum seeker who would be interested in joining in Cocktail activities, or who would benefit from them? Or are you yourself part of the target audience? Don’t hesitate to contact us, also for possible questions and ideas:
cocktail [@] coclimburg.nl
or call during office hours to: +31(0)43-3218337
More information can be found on our Facebook, as well as on Instagram.
