Strijp now has its own Werkplaats Financiën (Finance advice centre). This is a place where people can come to ask questions regarding money or financial problems and can get advice and support. Yesterday (Friday) morning, the centre was opened to much fanfare, lead by the co-founder, Caroline Beeris and Councillor for Poverty Reduction, Renate Richters.
Almost everyone working at the Centre are volunteers, who have mostly had their own (serious) financial problems in the past. This enables them to give advice to people who come asking. According to the Volunteer Supervisor, Christel van Wetten, people will receive relevant advice and the best hands-on expertise.
The volunteers say poverty in Eindhoven is a far larger problem that most realise. Many people feel embarrassed about it and rather keep it quiet. Werkplaats Financiën, therefore, also want to tackle the taboo of talking about poverty. Councillor Richters acknowledges this underexposed problem. According to her, many people in Eindhoven have financial problems. Seventy percent of these people are in severe financial straits.
Werkplaats Financiën hopes to open a fifth centre in Woensel within a year. The other centres are in Stratum, Tongelre and Gestel.
Source: studio040
Translator: Melinda
