Our Bank partner from POM
Rising living costs, insufficient income, clumsy choices and sometimes just bad luck. Whatever the cause, the fact is that there are more and more young people in debt. The stress they have as a result hampers their development and thus their future. The OnsBank Foundation helps these young people with a free and unique program. An important step in this process: creating debt rest. In doing so, the young people receive help from volunteer debt rest coaches from the world of credit management.
OnsBank is not a standard organization for debt counseling. “Far from even”, laughs director Hester Apeldoorn. “We were founded by an artist collective and that is reflected in our approach. It is not only aimed at resolving the debt, but also on the period after that. We work with artists and cultural makers on the personal development of our participants, so that they get future prospects again.”
Creating peace of mind
A process at OnsBank is especially for young people aged 18 between 27 and takes six months. Here, participants first work with a debt rest coach to create peace around debts. “That means getting insight and overview first,” says Hester. The next step is to ensure that debts are frozen during that half year and do not increase further. The debt rest coaches and the young people, together with the creditors, also look at whether the debt can be returned to the original amount, i.e. without the reminder, collection and bailiff costs.
Because there are no more messages, calls or visits from collection agencies and bailiffs, we remove an important part of the stress surrounding debts. | Hester Apeldoorn - Our Bank
No more stress
Creating debt rest is essential for a successful process, says Hester. “Because there are no more messages, calls or visits from collection agencies and bailiffs, we remove an important part of the stress surrounding debts. The young people can then get to work on their personal development. Because if you're constantly feeling the anxiety and stress of debt, there's no room for that.”
Workshops and job coach
Working on their personal development takes place in a group process in which the young people work on themselves and their future under supervision. “Together, they attend a workshop by an artist or cultural maker every week,” explains Hester. “In it, they learn who they are, what they can do, what they are good at and what they want. And if necessary, we also link a young person to a job coach during this process. Because work is the best way out of debt.”
Helping along the way
After the end of the six months, it is far from always ready for the young, Hester knows. “We can't solve someone's debts in six months. But we can help that person along the way. That at the end of that period, there is a plan that will allow the young people to regain control of their financial and personal situation and the confidence and energy to get out of those debts.”
So we are looking for credit managers in the region of The Hague, and possibly soon also in Utrecht, Almere and Arnhem, who want to do this work enthusiastically and voluntarily. | Hester Apeldoorn - Our Bank
Debt rest coaches
OnsBank is currently active in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The Hague is coming and there are more cities on the wish list, such as Utrecht, Almere and Arnhem. “But first, we want The Hague to be set up properly,” says Hester. “That means making a good connection with municipal debt counseling and finding sufficient debt rest coaches in that environment.” Because debt rest coaches are incredibly important, Hester emphasizes. “They are business volunteers; credit managers who work for collection agencies, government agencies, health insurers, telecom companies or online department stores, for example. People with a large network in the credit management world who know how it works in this industry. As a result, they can often create all that guilt rest with just a few phone calls. The success of a process therefore depends on the debt rest coaches.” She continues: “So we are looking for credit managers in the region of The Hague, and possibly soon also in Utrecht, Almere and Arnhem, who want to do this work enthusiastically and voluntarily.”
Experienced experts
Hester hopes that employers will offer their credit managers the opportunity to do this volunteer work. “Their employees are learning so much from this experience. They see the other side of a late payment and also discover what it's like to coach someone. And by helping those young people, as an organization, you are making a great contribution to society.” She would also like these employers, who are often also young people's creditors, to delve more into the background of young people with debts. “Our mission is to achieve a more humane approach to young people with debts. Because 95 percent of people with a debt want to pay, but can't. But if you have a debt in the Netherlands, you will be fined for it. You will be punished. Young people feel that and wear the penitentiary. That just doesn't solve anything. We now have a number of former participants who can be hired as experienced experts. Organizations can invite them to come and talk about their experiences. You can use the knowledge you gain as an organization to change or further improve your collection policy. So that the next young customer with a debt to them will be helped in the best possible way.”
Also working as a debt rest coach?
One of the debt rest coaches at OnsBank is Dennis Faas, COO at POM. His motivation — and that of his fellow debt rest coaches — to do this work can be found at https://www.onsbank.nl/onsbank.... Would you also like to work as a debt rest coach? Please contact Hester Apeldoorn via h.apeldoorn@onsbank.nl.