Some 5% of the employees of the Royal Netherlands Air Force is from an Asian, African or South American community. The organisation has the objective to double this number in the coming years and thus become more representative of the Netherlands population as a whole.
Why
Are youngsters from migrant communities not aware of the wide range of professional backgrounds that are needed in the Air Force? Does working for the Air Force not match with the ambitions youngsters with a double cultural identity have? Or do youngsters with, for example, a Turkish, Moroccan or Surinamese background feel their ethnic cultural backgrounds do not match with representing the Netherlands national flag?
Research has shown that all these elements could play a role in whether or not having the ambition to serve the Royal Netherlands Air Force. As a consequence, an ambitious communications program was initiated to focus on the issue of double cultural identity in relation to serving the Royal Netherlands Air Force. In this way the Air Force wishes to create awareness among youngsters of the advantages of their double cultural identity in an organisation with a global work field; the capacity to switch between cultures is seen as a major benefit.
How
In 2004 and 2005 the Royal Netherlands Air Force has initiated a number of activities in order to create awareness among the various ethnic cultural communities of the Air Force as a potential employer. This all culminated in a number of events under the name Verschil = Chill? (Difference = Chill?) that took place in late 2005.
The events, set up by TransCity in close cooperation with event producer Hal 4, have taken place in a number of schools with a majority of students from migrant communities. In the morning workshops rap, rap poetry, drama, vocals, urban art and debate were scheduled as a warming up for the afternoon. Within these workshops, youngsters aged 15 and 16 were all working on a central theme related to the meaning of their double cultural identity in their daily lives in the Netherlands.
In the afternoon, all these youngsters were participating in a series of debates on the themes Identity and Loyalty. These debates were hosted by popular FunX Radio DJ Morad and MTNL TV talkshow host Ebru. At the start, Identity and Loyalty were discussed related to ‘soft’ issues such as food, sports and heroes. As a climax of the debates, Identity and Loyalty were discussed in relation to the more ‘sensitive’ issue of representing the Netherlands Army and defending the Netherlands national flag. During the afternoon debates, performances were given by urban artists, such as rapper Excellent.
After the school tour there was a Grand Final in Rotterdam, where all participating schools were debating against eachother. The winners of the debates as well as the winners of the performances (rap, rap poetry and others) have won an exclusive flight with a Cougar Helicopter as well as a Meet & Greet with famous Dutch rap artist Raymzter, who has given an exciting performance at the Grand Final.
Media
During the campaign period, the central theme of the event has been covered by a number of relevant media. During four weeks, special editions of the TV Show Moccah! - produced by Beat The Dutch - were programmed on MTV Networks/The Box. In the Moccah! show, rap artist Willie Wartaal - who at that time just had a number one chart hit with Watskebeurt as a member of the band Jeugd van Tegenwoordig - was covering the Identity and Loyalty of youngsters related to food, heroes and of course the Netherlands Army.
Now watch the Grand Final - MTV/The Box! (10 MB)
Now watch a promo of the Moccah! Special on Identity and Loyalty!
On the popular urban FunX Radio, 12 different commercials were programmed with quotes of youngsters on Identity and Loyalty. Many other ethnic, cross cultural and mainstream media, have also covered the themes of Identity and Loyalty related to the Netherlands Army, including a pan European Turkish television network and the Netherlands major news show, NOS Journaal.
Results
The Royal Netherlands Air Force has learned a lot. The way parents bring up their children is of course essential for the identity of youngsters: ‘I have been brought up in a Turkish way, so I am Turkish.’ But other aspects play a role as well: ‘I want to be Dutch, but the Dutch don’t see me as Dutch, so I am Surinamese.’
On the other hand it appears that foreign ethnic cultural roots hardly play a role in the consideration of whether or not to have the ambition to serve the Netherlands Army. Loyalty to the Netherlands often goes without saying, according to these youngsters, because loyalty to the Netherlands can be given substance since they are born and raised in the Netherlands. Loyalty to Turkey, Morocco, Suriname or, for example, Cape Verde, is more abstract in character: ’How can I be loyal to Morocco, when Morocco is only a holiday destination for me?’
Major positive outcome: a growing awarenes among youngsters that the Royal Netherlands Air Force is sincere in its wish to employ youngsters with a doubly cultural identity and that such an identity is seen as a benefit rather than a barrier.
Next
In 2006, as a follow up to this campaign, TransCity will assist the Royal Netherlands Air Force in recruiting youngsters from Asia, African and South American communities through a combination of direct mail, viral marketing, ‘member-gets-member’-activities, and other means of communications, all in close cooperation with ARA Advertising (part of TBWA Netherlands) and matching with the theme ARA has developed: ‘Whatever your profession within the Air Force, you will always work for Peace and Security.’