Early financial support in Vught prevents debt crisis for residents
Residents of Vught, Helvoirt, and Cromvoirt facing financial struggles can now receive early intervention to prevent debt accumulation. A dedicated client manager offers tailored support, helping individuals regain control of their finances before problems escalate.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Municipality | Vught, Helvoirt, Cromvoirt (Noord-Brabant) |
| Program | Early detection and intervention via Wegwijs+ |
| Trigger for Support | Missed payments to health insurers, landlords, or utility companies |
| Contact Methods | Phone, email, text, or in-person visits |
| Collaborating Orgs | Welzijn Vught, Vincentius, Jeugdfonds, Stichting Leergeld, and others |
| Common Causes | Life changes (e.g., divorce, job loss, turning 18, retirement) |
| Contact | Joris van Maanen, 06 31 14 94 96 or via Wegwijs+ |
Municipalities in the Netherlands are legally required to provide early financial intervention to residents at risk of debt. Wegwijs+ operates under this mandate, offering proactive support to prevent financial distress from escalating into long-term problems.
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Financial worries affect more than just your wallet
Joris van Maanen has been supporting residents of Vught, Helvoirt, and Cromvoirt who struggle with financial worries for over 10 years. Initially as a social worker and budget coach, and now as an early detection client manager at Wegwijs+. His mission: to reach people in time to prevent them from accumulating debt. He aims to resolve financial worries promptly so that everyone in the municipality can achieve financial health.
Early intervention, much to gain
Early detection has been a statutory task for every municipality since 2021. If someone fails to pay a bill (on time) to their health insurer, landlord, and/or the Energy and Water Company, we receive a notification. Joris then contacts these individuals—not to check up on them, but to offer help.
He does this in various ways: calling, emailing, texting, or simply visiting in person. Once contact is established, Joris collaborates to find solutions for the financial worries. Together, they may reach out to the institution that issued the notification to work toward a resolution. Joris also immediately looks into other concerns the person may have. The goal is to create a comprehensive plan.
Trust begins with meeting each other
Joris is regularly visible in the neighborhood, at community events, and at consultation points. “It starts with meeting and getting to know each other. That can be as simple as having a cup of coffee together and discussing everyday matters. When people feel safe, they are more likely to share their worries.”
One plan, one approach
Joris strives to avoid sending people from one counter to another. Instead, he organizes support around them. He always does this with the person’s consent and with attention to confidentiality and privacy. Together, they assess what is needed and possible. He works closely with his colleagues at Wegwijs+ and involves them where necessary.
Joris also collaborates extensively with organizations such as Welzijn Vught, Vincentius, Jeugdfonds, Volwassenenfonds, Move, Stichting Leergeld, WijOmarmen, Financieel Paspoort, and Ouderen Samen. His aim is to ensure that support is tailored to the individual’s needs.
Financial worries can arise from various causes
According to Joris, financial problems can stem from many sources. Often, they arise after a major life change, such as turning 18, retiring, going through a divorce, losing a job, or other significant life events.
Financial problems often lead to stress, which in turn can cause health issues, problems at home, at work, or at school. These issues frequently have a negative impact on the financial situation, making it increasingly difficult to resolve the situation.
Breaking the stigma of shame
“People always try to solve things on their own first. That’s good. But when they can’t, I notice that asking for help is often seen as difficult—often due to shame and distrust of institutions.
In such cases, people may resort to emergency solutions, which usually only work in the short term. For the long term, things become more complicated and unclear. Often, people lose control, and debts grow rapidly. It becomes increasingly difficult to get things in order, and eventually, they can no longer manage on their own. That’s why early intervention is so important.”
As Joris has noted before, many people perceive seeking help as a significant step. It would be beneficial if this perception changed—perhaps by talking more openly about financial worries.
Additionally, navigating the path to help can be complicated. We must be honest about this and make it easier. That’s why Joris wants financial support services to be better known and more accessible to residents. This way, we can ensure that residents do not end up facing problem debts.
Contact
Do you have questions or concerns about your finances that you’d like to discuss with Joris? Don’t keep them to yourself. Get in touch. He can be reached via this link or at 06 31 14 94 96.
Joris’s motto? “Earlier, faster, better.” Because the sooner you address the issue, the more options there are for a solution.