'Peak weeks action' of program Money Matters in Brainport:
Pilot collaboration between business, community organizations and municipality bears fruit
He is a young man, in his twenties, and has been waiting in the Finance XL workshop for more than 45 minutes. Nervous. There are ten more waiting in front of him. Then it's his turn. He throws his papers next to the computer. Together with one of the volunteers, he sits down behind the screen. The data are filled in. A piece of cake. "So, that's quick work," he says. "I could have done that myself." Then it turns out there are three outstanding assessments, for which he can also apply for remission. "That could be right, I've been homeless off and on for the last few years, I just got a house." The volunteer briefly calls directly to an employee of the municipal helpline. She confirms it, but at the same time sees that a fine of 120 euros is outstanding. He has not paid municipal taxes for 3 years. Thanks to the short lines of communication, a payment arrangement can be made immediately. The young man leaves clearly relieved.
Distress Call
The 'peak weeks action' of the Money Problems in Brainport program was triggered by a cry for help from Eindhoven's social partners. They sounded the alarm because during peak weeks they could hardly organize the support for residents. For example, with filling out tax forms, but also with debt forgiveness.
Intensive cooperation is the key word of the working method; we use everyone's expertise to reach the one goal together: helping people (as early as possible) with money worries to prevent worse. The social partners speak the language of the people and know them, Partnerfonds Brainport Eindhoven and Impact040 connect and strengthen. This also benefits the inhabitants of the Brainport region. With the extra help of volunteers, the social organizations can continue their normal activities and no congestion occurs.
Corporate volunteers
How do we get these extra volunteers? We recruit them. They are special volunteers though: namely company volunteers. Employees of companies affiliated with the Partnerfund and Impact040 who get the chance to volunteer 'in the boss's time'. Samen voor Eindhoven mediates them, an organization that specializes in connecting companies and social and societal causes. The corporate volunteers also learn to develop other skills through volunteering. For example, they gain more understanding of the needs in society and more empathy. Besides knowledge, they also have time and attention, which makes people feel heard and seen.
Low-threshold campaign
Yet other corporate volunteers developed a communication campaign for the walk-in weeks. We learned from previous experiences. This time we used a low-threshold approach to communication, including the locations of the walk-in weeks, which we concentrated in the middle of neighborhoods. Who visited the drop-in centers? Students, low-income workers and elderly people living on a small pension. In short, everyone with an income up to 120 percent of the social minimum qualifies for relief and was welcome.
Partner Fund Brainport Eindhoven and Impact040 aim to bring sustainable change to as many residents in Brainport as possible. We want to join forces without being a top-heavy organization. That is why we are looking to connect with what is already happening in the social field. We adapt and strengthen projects. Cooperation is the key word here. Cooperation between business, social organizations, knowledge institutions and the municipality. Working together to make Brainport also a Social Valley. One example is a pilot of the Geldzorgen (Money Matters) program (the 'Peak Weeks Action'): helping residents waive municipal taxes.
Participants in the Peak Weeks campaign Geldzorgen in Brainport include: the municipality of Eindhoven, WIJeindhoven, Lumens, Sociaal Raadslieden, Werkplaatsen Financiën XL, Vrijwillige Hulpdienst Eindhoven, corporate volunteers and Samen voor Eindhoven.
