Introduction
A man from Iraq gets into debt when he has to pay for his wife and child's trip to the Netherlands. He is placed under the supervision of an administrator, who arranges his money matters. For more than five years he has had no control over his own money. The situation seems hopeless and is very stressful.
The doctor treats his stress by prescribing medication.
"In Iraq I almost never got medicine, but here I have to take medicine every day."
This does not address the root of the problem. He needs concrete steps by which he can work toward financial independence. In the current stressful situation, it is difficult to stay positive. And to find motivation to actively pursue his passion for carpentry.
Insights
We meet several newcomers who experience stress due to debt and the manner of debt assistance. The debts are often caused by high expenses that many newcomers face, such as costs for travel to the Netherlands, family reunification and empty fees for IND processes.
But newcomers often do not have enough income during their first period in the Netherlands to pay these costs themselves. Sometimes this leads to debt.
Appropriate support
In seeking debt stress support, the label "refugee" is the dominant perspective on people new to the Netherlands. This is limiting. Little attention is paid to the everyday reality of newcomers: What does it really mean for someone to live with debts? From the label of "refugee," trauma treatment quickly seems like an appropriate solution. But by looking beyond the "refugee" label and really listening to the person themselves, a wider range of support possibilities opens up.
Support itself can also bring negative psychological consequences. Take, for example, the situation of the Iraqi man. In response to his debt stress, a trustee was put in place. The idea is: by focusing on debt repayment, the cause of debt stress is directly addressed.
But focusing only on the administrative side overlooks the psychological effects of debt relief. Instead of reducing stress, the assistance only adds to it.
Sharing experiences
Do you have experience with successful support for newcomers struggling with debt? Leave an experience using the button below. This way we can learn from each other's experiences. And together we can realize appropriate forms of support.
