Lodewijk Asscher, the Dutch social affairs minister, has made 1 million euros available to provide refugees with opportunities to volunteer. This concerns people in shelters, regardless of whether they have a residence permit. According to Asscher, this will contribute to their knowledge of Dutch language and society. It will also increase their chances of finding a paying job, he says. After a trial in Nijmegen and Utrecht, the project will be expanded to 10 other refugee centers. Within two and a half years, 25 municipalities should be actively involved in offering refugees volunteer work.