There can be numerous situations in a woman’s life that lead her to decide to temporarily withdraw from the labour market.

The most common reason is having children:
Many women in Netherlands decide to stay at home full time to care for their family for a period after the birth of their child(ren).
However, once this period is over and things are running smoothly on the home front many of these mothers see opportunities and feel the need to re-engage with the world of work.

Illness in the family, the death of a partner or a divorce may also be reasons that lead a woman to devote all of her time and attention to the home.
Women in these situations, who may or may not be compelled to return to work by a change in their financial circumstances, also decide to re-explore their options within the labour market. 

But, for many women, the path of returning to work is not always easy.
The process tends to be fraught with doubts and uncertainty and questions such as What do I want? What am I capable of? And – above all – who will want to make use of my skills?

The Star Ferry supports women who are returning to work by helping them think in terms of the possibilities, define their personal passions, take stock of their knowledge and experience and identify the corresponding options in the labour market.  We help them draw up a personal development plan. As they work through this plan they rediscover their strengths and can then make their own choices on the journey back to the world of work.