Brainport region calls attention to money worries with large-scale campaign

"Are you also in the red this month? With this sentence, mayors Jeroen Dijsselbloem (Eindhoven), Elly Blanksma (Helmond), representatives of the regional business community and BN'ers from the region draw attention to money worries. The Philips stadium and the shirts of the PSV players will also be colored red on Sunday, May 21, during the PSV-Heerenveen match. The goal is to make money worries a topic of discussion among residents of the region and to prevent them from getting into debt.

Companies, social organizations and governments in the Brainport region are starting a large-scale campaign in May aimed at making money worries negotiable. The collaborating parties in Brainport Eindhoven want to break the taboo that rests on money worries. With relevant tips they help residents to prevent debts and point them to a helpline and the right assistance agencies in their hometown. There are also extra walk-in consultations at various locations in the region. That information can be found at brainportvoorelkaar.nl.

60% Dutch have money worries
60% of all Dutch people are financially vulnerable or even financially unhealthy, according to the report "Restoring Balance. The financial health of the Netherlands in uncertain times. This annual study, conducted by Deloitte together with Nibud and Leiden University on the financial health of Dutch households, shows that the percentage of financially vulnerable and financially unhealthy households has increased by 10% in one year due to drastic economic and social developments.

Discussing money worries is essential
"Even in a region like ours, where the economy is doing very well, there are households that are struggling to make ends meet," said Jeroen Dijsselbloem, mayor of Eindhoven and chairman of the Brainport Foundation. "Many Dutch people are financially vulnerable. That means they are just getting by with their income each month, but find it difficult to cope with unexpected events with their savings. By taking timely measures, people can prevent getting into debt. That is what we want to achieve with this campaign; to ensure that people talk to each other and their employer about money and spending and seek help sooner."

Debt prevention
"If you lose grip on your wallet, you lose grip on your life," continued Elly Blanksma Mayor of Helmond and Chairman of the Nibud Supervisory Board. "Because if you don't intervene immediately, a debt of a few thousand euros grows, within a few years, to an amount many times higher. By talking about your money worries, you can be helped. And that is very important."

Attention to financial fitness in the workplace
In addition to the campaign, several companies in the region are paying attention to money worries in the workplace. To this end, they are making use of the "Financial Fit in Brainport" program that the regional business community developed together with civil society organizations. In the program, managers and HR staff are trained in spotting problems and referring them to the right help. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of wage garnishments and employees with financial worries at participating companies by at least 50% within 5 years.

Brainport for each other
Financial fit is one of the programs of Brainport for each other. Brainport for each other was founded earlier this year by Partnerfonds Brainport Eindhoven, Impact040, Brainport Development, Together for Eindhoven and municipalities of Helmond and Eindhoven. These initiators are working together with regional companies, knowledge and educational institutions, governments and civil society organizations to develop a social welfare agenda for the region.