Budget coach for refugees

The Council for Refugees, location Hilversum and Wijdemeren, is commissioned by the municipality to provide coaching on integration and legal guidance for refugees who have been granted residence status. We are looking for budget coaches (volunteer position) for our location in Hilversum.

Refugees often start their lives in the Netherlands with a very vulnerable income position. They start with a minimum income, namely social assistance, and do not have any savings. They have already had to take out a loan to furnish the home, so they have a debt from the start. If they get into trouble, they have no safety net in the form of family or friends. Moreover, they often make insufficient use of income support facilities to which they are entitled, due to unfamiliarity with the Dutch situation and sometimes also due to a lack of math skills.

As a budget coach you offer one-on-one guidance to one or more refugees. Together you make an inventory of what the participant would like to learn. Examples are: setting up an orderly home administration, dealing with digital payments, learning to think ahead and planning in terms of expenditure, informing about existing facilities, etc. You coach your client towards financial self-reliance.

To support the budget coaches, the Eurowijzer project of the Dutch Council for Refugees has developed a folder specifically aimed at refugees, on the basis of which the budget coaches can work.

What do we expect from a budget coach?

• Good communication skills;
• Affinity with the target group;
• Being able to deal with low literacy / low-educated refugees;
• To be able to keep an orderly administration;
• Willing to participate in the basic course;
• Being able to set boundaries and let the refugee do the work himself;
• Availability of at least 2 hours per week (more hours in consultation);
• Minimum commitment of 6 months.

What do we have to offer?

• Meaningful and exciting volunteer work in a friendly team;
• Contact with other cultures;
• Guidance from a team leader;
• Basic course of the Dutch Council for Refugees (to make you more familiar with the organization and our target group) and other interesting in-depth courses;
• Meetings with other budget coaches to exchange tips and experiences;
• Travel allowance;
• Liability and accident insurance.

Working hours: At least 2 hours per week, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and / or Friday (preferably during office hours)

Induction method and guidance: Basic course of the Dutch Council for Refugees, an e-learning module, training material and further support from the team leader.

Interested?

For more information you can contact Dorota Zitvast via dzitvast [at] Vluchtelingenwerk.nl If you are interested, we would like to receive a short motivation and CV. Also state on which days and / or half-days you are available.