For a period of two years, Eindhoven is going to try to help young people with debt problems.
The municipality is doing this with the so-called Youth Perspective Fund (JPF), an initiative from The Hague. With this initiative, the municipality of Eindhoven, together with Dynamo and WijEindhoven, wants to ensure that young people between the ages of 18 and 27 have the prospect of a good future.
Young people of this age often end up with difficult choices. Because they have no or a low income, regular debt assistance is often ineffective for this target group.
Two years
The JPF makes a plan with the young people to get out of debt. The organization does this by looking with the young person at his or her living condition and home situation. JPF also accompanies the young person to work or school or offers support in continuing a possible job or training. Finally, JPF offers young people the opportunity to repay debts through a social apprenticeship. After two years the young person is then debt-free.
Twenty young people are participating in the pilot project in Eindhoven. If the project is successful, the pilot should be converted into a structural approach for young people in debt in Eindhoven.
Spearhead
“The approach to poverty and debt is one of the spearheads in Eindhoven,” says Renate Richters, Councillor for Youth, Care, Welfare and Poverty.
“We want to reach and support young people with debt problems. Now we are going to start with the Youth Perspective Fund and hope to reach more young people through this. I would like to give the young people of Eindhoven a good starting position in life. Debts are not part of this,” says Richters.
Source: www.studio040.nl
Translation: Chaitali Sengupta who also gives online INBURGERING classes.
